A Not so Charming Life
by YoungestCullen8
Summary: Silky has just returned to Charming from a twelve year hiatus. Things seem to be going well. She's got a job she loves and has found a guy she thinks is pretty decent. Until the Feds show up. Once they realize who the woman is, they will try their hardest to make her turn her back on the club. Will Silky stay with the club or turn rat and be on the run for the rest of her life?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is set just before Season 6 starts. There is going to be a little bit of spoilers from the first three episodes then it will deviate.

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Riding has always been something I have loved to do. Nothing beats feeling the wind rush past you at a hundred miles an hour. The only bad thing was helmet hair, but I could live with that. I have driven up and down PCH enough to know where the speed traps are and how to avoid them. Growing up in and around a motorcycle gang makes a person very careful.

That's right. I grew up around a motorcycle gang. It was pure luck actually. All I remember is a severe car accident on a rainy night. I woke up in the hospital as an orphan when I went in with two parents. It's amazing what the road can do. Anyway, after a couple of surgeries to repair a broken leg, I was released into state custody only to be put into a foster home immediately.

Growing up in a foster home most of my life made it easy and difficult to adjust. My foster family was huge, consisting of nearly twenty people. My foster father had two daughters of his own who didn't live with him. For some reason they thought he was safe to live with. Don't get me wrong. He wasn't a bad guy around me, but if his ex-wife took his daughters from him, there had to be some insanity there.

Other than some severe mood swings, loose women at the house, and insanity issues, my childhood was that of a normal teenager. Unless you consider every time he went to jail, the state always threatened to take me away. It always resulted in everyone getting angry and threatening the state. It never failed that I didn't go anywhere. I just went to a different house with people I knew.

After I graduated high school, I decided to leave town. I got a soccer scholarship at USC. I majored in Criminal Justice, an interesting course considering the way I grew up. I was at the top of my class and scouted by the FBI to go train at Quantico, but I turned it down. I didn't want to be a fed any more than I wanted to be an orphan. Instead of going on to graduate school, I traveled. I worked everywhere from a waitress to a temp. I found my calling with mechanics so I went back to school and got my degree in engineering.

I wasn't alone for the longest. I had a long term boyfriend. We traveled together. He even got a job to make sure we could pay the bills while I went back to school. It was all well and good until he got caught up with drugs. One hit and he was hooked. When he used to be a really nice person, he turned into a raging ass. The last straw was when he put his hands on me. Luckily I had been trained in martial arts so I was able to defend myself then throw him in a rehab facility. Unfortunately he got a couple of good hits in before he went down. The bruises were just now starting to fade.

The speed limit dropped suddenly and I knew I had just gotten back into town. It hadn't changed much in the twelve years I had been gone. Then again, at eighteen it looked like a cage instead of home. I heard kids playing on a playground nearby. The schools hadn't changed except now they wore uniforms. It was the system's way of attempting to make everyone the same.

I drove by the hospital and post office. The police station looked the same except now Unser was no longer sheriff. I had spent many a good days in that office not causing trouble when the others my age had. Believe it or not, I was a good kid despite what I grew up around.

Not really wanting to kill any more time, I hit the throttle and headed towards my main goal. Teller-Morrow garage looked like a normal garage. It was anything but, but it was home.

All eyes were on me as I pulled into the parking lot. It was rifled with Harleys all parked in a neat little row. The office door opened and an older woman stepped out shielding her face from the glare of the California sun. A couple of men filtered out from under the awning in curiosity. They had no idea who was entering their domain. They wouldn't. Not many people drove a Kawasaki Ninja around this area. It was all Harleys obviously.

I killed the engine and dropped the kickstand so I didn't have to balance the weight. Dropping my feet to the ground, I loosed the chin strap and forced the bulky helmet over my head. After finger combing my hair, I quickly twisted it into a braid. I shed my black jacket and draped it over the free handlebar. I swung my leg over my bike and started for the building.

I was almost there when I heard an excited yell. I braced myself as I was accosted. He was lucky that I was used to his sudden outbursts or I would have leveled him. As quickly as I was grabbed I was let go.

"Silky," he said. "I almost didn't recognize you." He grabbed my face. "What the hell happened?"

I jerked my face from his hand then swatted it aside. "It's good to see you too, Jax. That's what happens when someone is gone for twelve years. Don't worry about my face. Dude got it much worse."

"Is he buried in a ditch somewhere?"

I shook my head. "No, but he is locked away in a rehab facility until he gets clean."

Jax propped his hands on his hips and let one foot slip out. "You were dating a druggie?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You're one to talk." And he was. He had dated one of the worst druggies in Charming, but it got better. He married her and had a baby before dumping her and taking the child. It was textbook drama.

He held his hands up in surrender because he knew I was right. Like a gentleman, he held his arms out to the side and I walked by him. I heard him swaggering behind me like he had done since we were children. He had always been slightly loud with his white sneakers hitting the ground like they weighed a ton. I knew they didn't but the way he walked always brought out the worst in me. It made me want to laugh at him every time.

Many people thought of bikers in mostly leather. While it was true, the younger generation tended to wear different styles than their predecessors. Jax was the normal young biker. He wore jeans, flannel, white tees and sneaks. His patch was the only leather he ever donned unless you counted the sheath in which his knife was situated on his hip. Other than that he looked like a normal thug.

Jax pulled open the door to the clubhouse and let me walk through first. The guys outside must have been the old timers that the guys kept around to make sure the place was legit. I had grown up in this clubhouse, spending many nights here doing homework and cleaning the living area. It was one big, extended, dysfunctional family, a family I had grown up depending on.

I looked around the main bar room. There weren't as many people as I remembered. I remembered John Teller vaguely. He was a good man and an even better father. Whenever he took Jax out, I was always dragged along with Opie. Word had gotten to me about what had happened to Ope and I wanted to come back, but there was no reason to since I was doing my own thing.

Jax hopped the bar then pulled out two long necks. I smiled as he popped the caps and slid one across the bar to me. He was waiting to see who would notice that the black sheep of the family had come back in. It didn't take very long.

"Silky!"

The fluid Scottish accent made me cringe gently. Then I smiled up at Jax. He smiled over his bottle then took a drink as a bulky arm around my neck and pulled me backwards. I barely had time to set down the bottle before I knocked it all over me. He smelled the same, peppermint and tobacco. It made me reminisce about the times all of us spent together.

He pushed me back and looked me over. I knew what he was seeing and it was mirrored in his eyes when he whistled. Dressed in jeans, combat boots, and a loose tank, I was anything but a classy lady. Anyone could tell how I had grown up.

"Jeez, Silky Girl, if I had thought you would have grown this much, we would have never let you go," he said.

I shook my head. "Nice to see you too, Chibs. What have I missed?" I slid back on to my barstool and tipped back the bottle.

"Jackie Boy hasn't told you?"

"Nope, just got here actually."

Chibs tossed a thumb over his shoulder. "You're the one who drives that hulk of metal?"

I smacked him in the chest. "Don't mock the bike, man. It cost me an arm and a leg. I had to rebuild it from the ground up. Ninjas like that don't come aced up like that one."

"You should stick with the Harley we bought you before you left for college."

"There's a little problem with that. I was in a wreck about nine years ago. The bike was totaled. That's why it took me forever to build the one outside."

Jax leaned on the bar. "You weren't too injured were you?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I had a dislocated shoulder but other than that, I was fine."

The questions kept coming. I was more than happy to answer the questions because I had been gone for twelve years. That was normal for all of us. We tended to return when we got bored of our old lives.

We had lapsed into a friendly discussion when once again it was interrupted by excited yelling. This time it was two guys that were a lot older than me. One of them I knew very well.

"Tig, look who I found wandering around outside," Jax said.

I cast him a very droll look then slid off my stool. Tig held his arms open and I walked into them. He closed them around me and buried his face in my hair. After my parents had died in the car accident when I was six, the state put me in the care of Alexander "Tig" Trager. It hadn't made any sense because of his past experiences with his own daughters, but no one else had wanted me. So instead of taking me out of Charming, I went to the club.

Tig had never treated me badly. Actually he had adored me. I figured it was because he had a second chance to raise a daughter. When he went to jail a couple of times, I went to stay with John Teller. That's how Jax and I were so close, but it didn't stop me from leaving.

I turned in his arms to go back to the bar, but he kept me sealed to his side. I turned to look at the other man who had come in. It was Happy Lowman. The man had always brought me a little gift when he came down from Tacoma.

"Little Silky," he said as he did the same thing Chibs did. He looked me over. "My have you grown. This is what happens when you leave for twelve years. What have you and your big beautiful gray eyes been up to?"

Rolling those big beautiful gray eyes, I adjusted my stance. "I have two degrees actually. One in criminal justice and the other in engineering. I was telling Chibs that the Ninja out there was mine. I have also been training in martial arts."

"Tell me the guy who did that is in jail."

"More like in rehab."

Jax reached under the bar and pulled something out. It was black and rolled up tightly. "Silky."

I caught whatever it was he threw at me. I pulled the rubber band off and unfolded it. I remembered this jacket. Jax had it made for me for Christmas the year before I left. I forgot to pack it and had told them as much when I got to USC. By that point, things had gone south with me and Tig so I never asked for it. I was surprised Jax had kept it.

You see the amazing thing about the club was women were welcomed at a steep price. Most women were either old ladies or crow eaters. Old ladies were the girlfriends or wives of club members. Crow eaters were women who hung around the club in hopes that some of the guys would sleep with them. As the adoptive daughter of one of the members, I was neither.

If I wanted to be an old lady, I could. That wouldn't be objected to but I had to find someone who could put up with my dad. I would never be able to be a crow eater, and it wasn't because of my dad. I had grown up with most of the older men as father figures and the younger guys were brothers. It would be too weird. Maybe not now because the club had changed so much, but back then I wouldn't have done it.

I unzipped the hoody and slipped it over my tank. It still fit. Jax was always great at telling what size I wore. I was tall, almost as tall as Happy, but I was really small. Now that I had been training in martial arts, I was all muscle.

Satisfied that I was once again part of the group, I extricated myself from Tig and slid back on the barstool. Jax seemed equally as happy.

"How long are you in town for?" Happy asked as he slid onto the stool beside me.

"I was actually contacted by a motorcycle enthusiast. He has an old WWII motorcycle he was refurbished. He offered to pay me good money so I figured I'd come home and work on it here. The tools are all here and I could use them for free. Plus it's been twelve years. I figured I might as well come home to see the family."

"Admit it," Chibs said, "you just wanted the free tools." I made a face that neither confirmed nor denied his statement. He laughed at me anyway. "It's all right, Silky. No one said you couldn't come home."

We finished all the small talk. After asking if I could venture into the garage, I decided it was time to go check out the inventory. If I was going to work on an old bike, I might as well make sure I had the right tools. I had no doubt that the guys had them but I wanted to make sure. I had enough contacts in the state to get what I needed but that was pointless if I didn't need to.

I was shoving tool chests aside in one of the bays when the door slid up. I looked over to see a guy I really didn't know. He pulled the bay door down then locked it up. He looked over to see me leaning over the red box then looked around the garage.

"Sorry," he said. "Did I interrupt something?"

I thought about it and realized he really hadn't. I had just been making sure all the tools I needed were in the garage. I slammed the drawer close and locked it. "No, there was nothing to interrupt. I was just checking inventory. I have a project I'm starting to work on starting tomorrow."

He looked around again, clearly uncomfortable. "Does Jax know you're in here? I mean the only women usually allowed in the garage are Gemma and Tara."

"I think I'm more than qualified. My dad said it was quite all right. Actually Chibs said it was fine, but it doesn't really matter I guess."

"Who's your dad?"

"Tig." The look of horror that came over his face was priceless so I had to save him from his moments of killing himself. I held my hand out. "I'm Silky."

He frowned as he shook it. "Silky? What kind of name is that?"

"It's my birth name. Annalissa Silk is my real name. Officially I go by Silky Trager. It honors both my birth parents and Tig." I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed. "I know most of the older guys in the club, such as Chibs, Tig, Clay, Jax, and Happy, but I don't know you. You must have showed up after I left."

"I'm Juice Ortiz. I'm originally from New York, Queens actually. I patched in the club in the late Nineties. I thought Tig only had two daughters."

"He does. After his ex took Dawn and Fawn from him, I fell into his lap. It's nothing big. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to make a call."

I knew I left him staring after me as I walked back into the clubhouse.


	2. Chapter 2

I was elbow deep in parts of a 1942 Indian 841 when I heard the whine of an engine that seriously needed a tune up. I didn't think much of it because I had heard those kinds of whines for the last week. You would think that since the guys ran a mechanic shop that they would keep the cars in town running.

I was cataloguing all of the parts when I heard the door open behind me. Juice came out with two bottles. He looked out the open bay door and shook his head. I noticed he had fresh cuts and bruises on his face. It only happened when someone did something stupid. I wasn't going to ask because I didn't want to know. I had been out of this life for twelve years and I was going to fight hard before I was dragged back in it.

Juice sat down on top of the metal table and watched as I sorted the various parts. I was going to need new girder forks and a heel-and-toe-shift pedal. Everything else was in working condition, or almost as good as new. I wanted to make my customer happy so I was going to go to the best parts dealer in California.

Standing up, I wiped the oil on my jumpsuit and walked over to juice. He handed me the second bottle and I cracked the lid. We looked out the bay doors at Jax. He was talking to someone. I recognized her face but I couldn't remember her name. I had seen her around here when I lived her but I couldn't remember anything after that.

The door to the office opened and Gemma walked out. I had had an interesting encounter with her a day after I returned. She had come into the clubhouse to talk to Jax I had been sitting at the bar. She noticed me right off the bat and walked over to make small talk. It was like I had never left. She was the mother figure I had never had and someone I respected.

She hadn't been too happy that I had stayed away for years but she was happy that I had returned. She had said that Tig had kept an eye on the news to make sure nothing had happened to the one daughter he had raised. I wasn't surprised. Tig had been very cautious when it came to a girl in his house.

Gemma leaned against the table that Juice was perched on. We all watched in silence as Jax and the woman talked. Finally Gemma turned to me.

"You don't remember her do you?" she asked. I shook my head. "That's Tara Knowles. She used to run around with Jax. She left a year or so before you did. Now she's the doctor we call when we need help."

I scuffed my shoe on the concrete floor. "From what I've read, she lost her license due to this murder investigation."

"I thought you said you never kept up with us," Juice said.

"I haven't but when I got back, I wanted to see what I was getting myself into by returning. I heard plenty of things, many of them I didn't care to know. I got out of this life for a reason, but I guess my life comes back to haunt me." I grabbed the notebook from the floor and handed it to Gemma. "Do you mind making the orders for me? I have another little project I'm going to be working on and I may need a little help."

Juice jumped at the chance. "I'll help."

Gemma and I shared a smile. "I figured you would. I need you to drive the truck. We're picking up a classic. I'm going to need the fourth bay. Lock it down until I get back."

"You better tell your dad. He's already a little mental. Now that you're back he's going to be even more insane," Gemma replied.

I knew exactly what she was talking about. Before I left, Tig was very protective. The only guys he really ever let me around were Opie and Jax. The three of us found more trouble sitting in a house than we ever did out and about on the town. Jax was always around Tara so it made it even more interesting. Tara and I never had any beef with each other but we were never really friends. I was the only girl in the club at the time so I was the most protected treasure.

Tig, Happy and Chibs were talking not too far away from Jax and Tara. I looked at Juice as the guy followed me. He had shut down and it made me wonder what was going on with him. It had to be something very interesting because he hadn't said too much around Chibs. The big Scottish guy was the first person I ever talked to hen I came into the shop every morning. He always ribbed me about my bike and I about his lack of personal hygiene. But he was always a happy sort of guy. For Juice to close up around him meant something happened.

Happy nudged Tig and he turned around. I waved then shoved my hand back into the pocket of my jumpsuit. I stopped beside them and rocked back on my heels.

"What do you need, Silky?" Happy asked. It always made me laugh when he said my name. His voice was pitched low that my name was just a rasp.

"I've got to make a run. I'm picking up a '73 Passat that needs a total overhaul. I'm taking Juice with me to drive the truck," I replied.

"Don't you have the Indian you need to finish?" Chibs asked.

"It won't take me long to do after I get the parts. Gemma put in the order for me. The Passat's going to take a little longer because I don't know how anything looks. I'll know when I get it in the shop and get under the hood."

"Where are you going?"

"Up near Lodi." Tig shook his head. Annoyed I rolled my eyes. "Dad, come on. I love working on old cars. It's not a big deal. Plus I have Juice with me."

"No, you're not going up through there. You have no idea what has happened in the last few years. You're not going," Tig said.

I sucked in a deep breath and kept from lashing out. You forget how easy it is to do your own thing when you're back at home. I was able to do what I wanted because my dad wasn't around. Now that I'm back I forgot how over protective he is.

Agitation set in and I turned away, scuffing my shoe against the concrete.

"I'll ride with them." I turned around to look at Happy. We all were. "I'm one of the only ones you trust with her. I'll go with them to make sure no one messes with them."

W all looked at Tig expectantly. He was a tough nut to crack when he wanted to be. Having Happy ride with us meant there would be a little more protection. I wasn't helpless but a father always wanted to protect his daughter. It took a minute for him to agree but when he did, even Chibs was happy.

Not wanting him to change his mind, I saluted him then turned heel and walked towards the truck. Juice climbed in the driver's seat and backed us out. Happy pulled out behind us. It was quiet for the first few minutes. Juice was content just to drive using the directions the GPS provided.

"So," he said after I noticed his free foot was shaking a little too much, "how is it that Tig has three daughters? I thought he only had two?"

"He does. I'm his foster daughter," I replied as I sipped the coffee we had been smart enough to bring with us.

"Okay. I'm a little lost. How is that possible? The state would never put a kid in the hands of a career felon."

I shrugged but explain everything anyway. I really had no idea how the state allowed me to stay. In all the years I was in that house, I wondered how it was possible. The only reasons I came up with were the club had a member of DCS on their payroll or they didn't want to take me away from Charming. Granted I didn't know where I was born or where I had lived before I lost my parents in the wreck all those years ago.

Like I said before, the club was home. Tig never had a house after his wife left and took his daughters so he stayed at the clubhouse. When I was placed in his care, he bought a small apartment a couple of blocks from the shop. Whenever he wanted to bring a woman over, he used the clubhouse but he always came home. He was there when I got up the next morning. When he went to jail, I went to Jax's house where Gemma would watch over me.

In all the years I had lived with him, the only times he turned overprotective was when I started dating. That was always interesting. He was a typical dad; always cleaning his guns and knives when the guy came to pick me up at the door. But that wasn't the kicker. Wherever I went on my date, which could have only been a few places depending on the season, Jax and Opie would always show up. It was his way of showing I was never far from the club.

It was worse when I turned sixteen. Jax and Opie were eighteen and Happy had come down to visit his mom. I had been dating the mayor's son for a few months without them knowing. We would go out after work and no one knew. Happy just happened to be riding through town when he saw us in the diner. That was when the entire club showed up and they freaked the mayor's son out. I was promptly dumped. It was okay because two weeks later I was at USC.

I had no idea my mouth had been working the entire time until Juice laughed. I looked over at him as he settled back into his seat. He was smiling like he hadn't heard stories about me. He probably hadn't because Tig vowed never to talk about me until he knew I was coming home. I hadn't known I was coming home until I got the call about the motorcycle.

"Did you ever meet his daughters?" he asked.

I propped one foot up in the seat and draped an arm over it. "Once. His ex brought them up. She blew a gasket when she realized he had a teenager in his house, said something about how he could take care of someone else's kid but not his own. The girls weren't too angry. Actually they were pretty impressed that he had taken some responsibility."

I leaned back into the seat. "I heard about Dawn. Fawn actually called me to let me know that she was dead. With everything going on with Pope, there was no way I was coming back."

He took a left at the red light then continued on the road towards Lodi. "I thought you didn't know what was going on."

"No, I've known, but I've had enough self preservation to know better than to come home. If Damon Pope thought Tig was behind his daughter's death, he was going to make sure he suffered. What better way than to make him lose a daughter as well? Coming back could have very well have been my death as well."

"So I take it you've heard about Opie as well?" I nodded. That one had been hard since I had been close to him. "Why didn't you come home?"

"You obviously missed the bit about not wanting to be killed. I was in the middle of classes when Ope was killed. I had the semester left until I finished my engineering degree. I couldn't make it."

Juice opened his mouth to ask another question but sirens silenced him. He gave a curse then pulled off the side of the road. Happy pulled ahead of us and parked but didn't otherwise move. Juice put his hands on the steering wheel and waited. I glanced back in the side mirrors. A San Joaquin County Sheriff's car? What had I missed?

I watched the officer walk up to our car and start chatting with Juice. By the way Juice reacted, something had gone on between the two of them. Juice was quiet and his responses were very terse. I had a feeling I knew something that not many did.

The officer looked over at me. "I have never seen you around. License please." I fished it out of my wallet and handed it over. He looked it over very closely. "Annalissa Silk Trager. Are you related to Tig Trager by any chance?"

I slid my license back in my wallet. "He's my foster father. I legally changed my name when I turned nineteen, but I've been going as Silky since I was six."

"How does a six year old get put in a foster home with a criminal?" I shrugged, not really wanting to go into this again. Instead of asking the officer smacked the side of the truck. "Anyway, Ms. Trager, make sure you steer clear of any illegal activity. You haven't been in town for a while so you don't understand what's been going on."

"I understand your pregnant wife was killed." Juice's hands tightened on the wheel and I knew I hit a hard point. "But that has nothing to do with me. I was across the country earning a second degree. I understand more than you know, officer."

I think I thoroughly pissed him off because he shoved away from the vehicle so quickly that it felt like he punched it. We waited until he had pulled away from the curb then Happy walked over. I saw the way he watched squad car disappear over the horizon. Something about the way the man acted told me I had struck a nerve. I was going to find out what had happened to his wife.

"Are you two okay?" Happy asked.

I nodded as I stared out the windshield. He didn't say anything as Juice and I sat in silence. Finally he walked back to his bike and we were on our way to pick up the car.

Juice's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. He was still agitated. As I looked him over, I began to wonder where he had gotten all the wounds on his face. From what I had gathered, he had gotten his face knocked in by someone. By the angles they were in, they were from someone much bigger and taller. Why would he be beaten?

I laughed. "You turned rat, didn't you?" The leather on the steering wheel creaked. "I figured as much. No self respecting patch would have as many cuts on his face as you. You had it coming even though you confessed everything you did to the club. Personally I think it's a cool thing to do but it also means the club won't trust you." Then a light bulb went on. "That's why Tig didn't want you to come alone with me."

"Can we drop it?" he grated out.

"What do they have on you?"

"Drop it!"

I narrowed my eyes at him but didn't say anything. It was quite all right. I had connections. Now that I knew where he was from it wouldn't take me very long to narrow down the search. The clubhouse would have other information that I needed. It would just have to raid the filing cabinet.


	3. Chapter 3

I was sprawled out across the bar in the clubhouse with my laptop firing on all cylinders. I had been ordering parts and other odds and ends when something fired in my brain. I couldn't get what happened to us on our way to Lodi out of my mind. So I hacked into the San Joaquin County database and began doing some research. I had been friends with a computer genius when I was in my last year of school. He had taught me how to get around specific coded areas by using one little code he had designed. I always make sure that I let him know I was using it before I did so.

I had pilfered the files the guys kept. It was a pretty decent stock of records considering they did a crap job of keeping the clubhouse clean. It took me all of seven seconds to find Juice's file. It was less packed than everyone else's, including Jax's. As I flipped through it, I noticed there wasn't much on his past in New York. It was like it had been scrubbed clean. He didn't want anyone to know something.

That made me even more suspicious so I had to go digging. It wouldn't take the program too long to find out whatever it was Juice was trying to hide. Gemma used to tell me I had a one-track mind. I guess I did considering I was determined to download anything I could on Juice before anyone came in. It wasn't sitting well with me so I wanted to know.

While the documents were downloading, I called the owner of the Passat I had picked up a couple of days before. I had pulled the car apart and found that there was more messed up with the thing. There was no way I could fix it without the price skyrocketing every time I pulled a new piece off. The owner hadn't been very happy because that had been his father's car, but he understood. So he had sold it to me and I made it my pet project. I would sell it once I finished it.

The owner of the Indian called and asked how much the parts were going to be. I still hadn't gotten an estimate so I promised to call him the next day when the shop was open. I hoped my orders would be in in the morning so I could get started on the Indian. I was really excited about it.

I felt a sharp sting on my hip and looked over. Gemma was cleaning the clubhouse and wanted me off the bar. I grabbed my computer and jumped down, my feet stinging from the impact on the floor. No matter how many times I did it, it always hurt. I relocated to the table and set up shop there.

Hours passed before I heard anything. Motorcycles roared in and out of the parking lot all day. When it was getting close to dinner time, no one showed up. Jax would go home because of his wife and sons. The rest of the guys should have come back earlier. Gemma and I had made dinner in the clubhouse about half an hour ago and it was getting cold. I heard the woman huff out an aggravated breath before she picked up her phone. I listened to the sudden conversation and had to laugh when she snapped the phone closed after snapping at them.

I wasn't surprised to hear the quiet parking lot alive with engines ten minutes later. I guess Gemma's threat to get their asses home to eat meant she was all business. This business happened to be food. No one messed with food when she was around. The once quiet room was filled with hungry men.

I jumped up as everyone but Jax walked into the building. Food was always a staple of society. It brought people together in ways that made the group stronger. Gemma and I had made chicken and sides that went with the meat.

It was loud and slightly obnoxious as everyone enjoyed themselves and each other. I hadn't realized what was going on when Juice sat down on my left side. Gemma was on my right because for some reason we always sat that way when I had stayed with them. So when she nudged me I looked up. Happy, Tig, and Chibs were looking at Juice like he had grown a second head.

I didn't think anything of it. Juice and I had grown really close in the last few days. He was helping me work on the Passat when I deemed it workable. Now he was making sure I had the parts for the Indian. He had called the parts dealer and to make sure the parts would be in on time. The on time part meant tomorrow. If they weren't in tomorrow, I was going to have to charge the guy extra and I didn't want to do that.

I didn't pay attention to it, especially when Tig started giving Juice the evil eye.

"So, Silky," Chibs said as he shoved mashed potatoes in his mouth, "where are you staying? I know you're not with Tiggy because he lives here. He kinnae vacated your apartment when you went off to school."

"She's staying with me," Gemma said. "I told her the day she popped up she was always welcomed in my home."

"How does Nero deal with that?" Tig asked.

"He understands. He actually volunteered to help get the parts I need shipped here faster."

That's when my dad looked at me. I shook my head and pointed the fork I had full of green beans at him. "Don't start. I'm not going to get involved with his Escort service. And if I do, it would be just to do odd jobs like, I don't know, fix the cars. I'm not made to be an Escort."

"Well," Phil the newest full patch said, "you have the body for it."

Happy smacked him in the back of the head. "You don't say that about someone's daughter you idiot."

Dinner was calm after that. I didn't think anything of Juice sitting beside me after that. We talked about random things, the last being football. I didn't know the guy liked football as much as I did. We talked Lane Kiffin at Tennessee vs. USC, my alma mater. He hated USC, leaning more towards UCLA. It didn't matter. There was something else we had in common.

After was finished and everything as cleaned up, we all just sat around and talked. I sat in the corner of the room with my computer. The files I had wanted were finally done downloading. All I had to do was open them and read through them. So as the guys and Gemma talked and a couple of crow eaters sat around, I read things Juice wanted to keep quiet.

It wasn't too surprising really. I found it very easily, but I understood why he wanted to keep it quiet. His parentage would end with him being kicked out of the club. He would have to have his tattoo on his back removed. If he didn't do it, the club would. I knew that they had done it to a couple of ex members when I was here. I wouldn't be surprised if they had done it to someone else when I had left.

Juice had no need to fear me. I wasn't going to turn him in. I just wanted to know why he had turned against the club. His motivation was understandable. Brotherly love was a thing we couldn't get involved in as women.

I looked up as the door opened. Jax and his family walked in. His older son ran to Gemma and she scooped him up. Tara stood off to the side and surveyed the room, like she was uncomfortable to be there. I watched her closely. Something about the way she stood off to the side made me think she was getting ready to run. No self respecting old lady would be all over her husband in the presence of his club.

Scrolling, I pulled up another file I had snagged. Tara Knowles had been sent to jail for conspiracy to commit murder. She had given Otto Delaney a rosary or necklace of some sort that was used to kill a prison nurse. I didn't know all the details but I knew Otto's wife Luann had been killed a few years ago. Luann had backed Otto even when he went to jail. After her death he shut down.

Tara wasn't the lanky fifteen year old I had met seventeen years ago. She had been with Jax pretty much all through high school, even supporting him when he went prospect for the club. She had been around so much the club thought we were going to be old ladies for two members of the club. Well, my dad wasn't going to see that at a young age so he vetoed that quickly. Then Tara left a few months before I did. She came back before I did as well, but that was neither here nor there. She was getting ready run and she was taking those boys with her.

I closed out my files and shut down the computer. The guys were locked in on a football game, yelling at each other a team they didn't really like. Most of their teams had played yesterday afternoon so they needed something to do. I shook my head and ventured out the door. The parking lot was once again quiet. I walked over to one of the tables and sat on it, content to look up at the sky for a long time.

Though it was obscured due to the lights coming a few blocks over, I could tell the sky was crystal clear. I couldn't see some of the stars but that was okay. It was better than some of the other cities I had lived in. Most times I couldn't see any stars in those cities. I would have to go to the country to be able to see them. But that was what was great about Charming. Once you got out of the glaring lights of downtown, everything was crystal clear.

I heard the door to the clubhouse close. The footfalls were familiar so I waited. Tig sat down beside me with a sigh then lit up his cigarette. He tossed one arm around my shoulder and shifted me closer until we were hip to hip. Feeling like a fourteen year old again, I rested my head in the slope of his neck.

After I went to live with him, there were many nights where we would sit like this. I can remember being inconsolable after my parents died. It was Gemma who started this because Tig didn't know how to handle a six year old. When he figured out what he was doing, we would sit like this in the new apartment he rented until I fell asleep. There was a bond we had that no one understood. Whenever I was asked why I called him Dad instead of Tig, I always answered because he was my dad. I couldn't remember my birth father and that was sad, but Tig never mistreated me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice rumbling under my ear. "You seemed a little quiet at dinner tonight."

"Yeah, I'm all right. I was enjoying the easiness of the club. I've been away for so long I kind of forgot about it. I would pop in on the other charters in whatever city they were in if I was there and make sure they knew I was around. I spent some time with the New York Charter but didn't really get involved," I replied.

"You barely called while you were gone. It was always on Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving and my birthday."

"I didn't want to call. I wanted out of here that I didn't think it was a necessity. I flew under the radar so you didn't know where I was. I didn't cause trouble and I got two degrees while working to get them."

"You've done well for yourself."

It was a compliment. Since I had been living with him, he had never once said he was proud of me. I didn't think he was comfortable with it. Dawn and Fawn were a couple years older than me so they had been gone when I came into his care. It made sense considering he had been living two years without a child.

He shifted slightly as he put out the butt of the cigarette and tossed it away from the table. He stared straight ahead.

"Juice likes you."

I sighed and sat up, making sure I looked him dead in the eyes. "Don't start this. It didn't work when I was a teenager and it won't work now."

He held his hands up. "I wasn't going to say anything."

"Oh, come on. You know you were. I saw it all over you face at dinner." I grabbed his face between my hands and shook it. He looked like a fish. "Dad, don't try to dictate who I date. I fight dirty and I will win. If I want to date someone in the club, I will."

Tig smiled then covered my hands with his. "I understand you fight dirty. I'm a natural worrier over my daughters. I'll just make sure Juice understands it completely."

I sighed. There was no getting around it. He was going to make sure Juice had a pretty good idea who he was dealing with. I knew who he was dealing with so if he had any questions he could ask me. I had lived with the man for twelve years. I knew what he was like or what he could be like.

Sighing once again, I turned long ways and laid my head in his lap. We stared up at the sky, not a word between us. Tig's fingers carded through my hair gently. He had untied it and used his fingers through to loosen it. I rarely let anyone touch my hair because it was something Tig had done. Gemma, who had only raised boys, had never done it.

We were quiet as the door to the clubhouse opened. Jax started past us but when he saw us sitting on the table, he turned and came towards us. Tara followed behind him with the car seat in her hand. She looked at me suspiciously then she looked at Jax.

"Tig, I would swear that the girls you date get younger and younger," she said with a smile on her face.

Jax shook his head as I sat up. "No, Tara. That's not his girlfriend. That's Silky, his daughter. She's back in town."

"I didn't think Tig had a third daughter."

"I'm his foster daughter. I changed my last name when I was sixteen. It made it easier if I was a Trager instead of a silk. Legally my name is Annalissa Silk Trager, but the club calls me Silky," I replied. I tilted my head to look at her. "Both of you are two years older than me. I've been gone for twelve years."

"You were twenty when you left, not eighteen," Jax said. "Have you been telling everyone you were younger than you were?"

I shrugged. "I tend to forget."

"Daddy, who's that?" the little boy in Jax's arms asked.

Jax smiled then looked at his son. "Abel, that is Silky, Uncle Tig's daughter. She's a nice lady. She also works here." I waved at the boy but he was too shy to wave back. Jax turned to the other baby in the seat. "That's Thomas. He's about nine months old."

"I see you named him after your brother. I bet he'll be just like Thomas when he grows up."

Tara seemed confused. "You knew Thomas?"

I nodded. "I'm only two years younger than Jax. That would put me as four years older than Thomas. I was living here when he died from the congenital heart defect. I was ten."

Thomas started to get fussy so Tara adjusted the car seat on her arm and looked at Jax. "I think we should be heading home. It's almost bedtime. It's nice to see you again."

Jax nodded at me and followed his wife to the car so he could put his son in his car seat. Once Thomas was latched into the base, Tara closed the door then kissed Jax before climbing in the driver's seat. Jax went to his bike and slipped his helmet over his head. Within seconds he was following after the blue car.

"Did you see that?" I asked as I slid off the table. I started towards the door. Tig fell into step beside me. "That woman didn't know what to do."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Tara's been cool since everything went down a couple of years ago."

"No offense, but you're not a woman. You're kind of clueless in this aspect. That woman is scared and she's got two little boys she has to take care of. Not everyone is built for this lifestyle. I may have the crow and scythe on my body but that doesn't mean I agree with certain means of income. No, Tara's got something planned and I'm not sure Jax is involved."

"Do you think she's going to leave the state?" I shrugged. "If she does it will have to be after her trial."

"Whenever it is, Jax is going to lose his shit."

"Should we warn him?"

I shook my head as I put my hand on the door. "I don't want to get in the middle if there's nothing to get in the middle of." I yanked the door open and went in. I walked immediately to my bag behind the bar. "Gemma, I'm going home. If I'm out of it went you get back, don't wake me."

"All right, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning," she replied. "By the way, Nero's coming over tonight."

I nodded as I slipped on my jacket. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. Juice, Gemma says Nero will have the parts for the Indian if you're still interested in helping."

He nodded. "Cool. I'll see you in the morning."

I waved my helmet at the others then walked out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

I had just finished breakfast when Nero and Gemma walked in. Nero smiled as he grabbed his plate and sat down at the table. Gemma poured two cups of coffee then went to the table. I grabbed me a cup and my plate then went to sit with them at the table. Nero seemed engrossed in his breakfast because he didn't say a word.

"How did you sleep?" Gemma asked as she picked at her eggs.

"I was fine once my head stopped buzzing. For some reason I had a headache crop up," I replied. "I took some aspirin then I was out of it. I would ask what about you but I know how that would end."

She swatted at my hand. "Don't be crude." She was smiling as she said it. "We didn't do anything. Nero has had a rough last few days. I figured we'd just come home and go to bed."

I nodded, completely understanding. I'd had a few nights like that when I was in college. I'd stayed up for two days studying and going to classes. When Saturday hit, I was exhausted and slept all day. I should have learned my lesson but I did it too many times to count.

Nero finished his meal and dropped his fork to his plate. He leaned back and looked at me. "You, little missy, are an excellent cook."

"I had a good teacher." Gemma and I shared a smile. "So, Nero, when do you expect my parts in?"

"My friend is bringing them in today. I'll bring them by your shop when I get them." He eyed me speculatively. "What's going on between you and the skinhead?"

"Juice isn't a skinhead," Gemma replied.

"No, he's not. He's a tech genius whose code I cracked about two nights ago," I said as I stuffed biscuits and gravy in my mouth. "There's nothing going on that I know of. Why?"

Gemma got up and grabbed all of our plates. "That boy is smitten with you. It's up to you whether you see it or not."

I leaned back in my chair as she topped off my coffee. "Tig has already made his sentiments known about that little thing. Last boyfriend I had did this to my face," I motioned at my right jaw, "when he got high on meth. It took every ounce of training I had to bust his nose then break his knee. I don't want that to happen again."

"Juice is club. There's no way he's going to lay a hand on you. Tig and Jax would rip him to pieces."

I wasn't convinced. Trevor had said the same thing. "I won't touch you without your consent," he had said when I told him how I was raised. He had known everything I had seen while living with the Sons. It had been good for the first few months then he started acting weird. I knew enough to know he was on something. The night I confronted him was the night before I was supposed to leave.

All I did was ask if there was any way I could help him kick his addiction. He threw a lamp at me. I dodged it. It blew right past me, shattering as it hit the wall. I felt the pieces bite into my skin as they flew all around me. Then he came at me. I had a hard time containing him so when he caught me with his fist I wasn't really stunned. It took me a few more tries before I caught him with my palm. Then I shattered his knee and waited until the police showed up with a bus before I headed back to Charming.

Gemma was watching me closely so she knew I was thinking hard about what had gone on with Trevor. In all reality I wasn't scared of a relationship with a guy. I knew I had it in me to kick his ass. Plus any guy would be afraid of my dad. His temper was as loose as his dick and he wasn't afraid to use it. Juice was obviously very respectful of him. Who wouldn't be?

I stood up and walked to my room. I was going to get ready for the day. The parts should be in today which means I can start working on my projects. As I was slipping into my tennis shoes, I looked up. Nero was standing in the doorway looking in. I still didn't know how I felt about him being around my family but he wasn't too bad of a guy. I just didn't agree with his profession.

I knotted the laces then leaned my elbows on my knees. We looked at each other for the longest time, sizing each other up. He was trying to make sure I was who I said I was. To make sure he understood where my loyalties lay, I pulled the hem of my shirt up to show him the scythe on my ribs. Most women affiliated with the club got crows. Tig didn't want that for me so he had a special tattoo drawn up. I liked the scythe of the Reaper. To make sure they knew, we had SOA Charming written under it. So far no one had messed with me.

I grabbed the leather jacket with SOA across the back. Happy had sent it to me when I was in college but I had never worn it except when I was in a city with a charter. They knew I was around even though I tried to keep a low profile. A couple of times the low profile hadn't worked out well so I had called them. My only request had been they hadn't let my dad know where I was. They were good on that promise.

Nero let me by when I turned sideways. "I thought women weren't allowed to wear the patch."

"I don't," I replied as I scooped up my keys and wallet. "Gemma, I'll see you at the shop."

"Okay, sweetheart. Before you leave, what do you want for dinner tonight? I was thinking of asking everyone over again," she said.

"Anything except chicken will be fine. I lived off chicken for six months before coming home. I don't want it again for a while." I looked to Nero, stuck my finger in my mouth, and made a gagging noise. He laughed. "Turkey would be good."

"All right. We'll have Thanksgiving two months early."

"Can I talk to you?" Nero asked as I opened the door. I nodded and went out the door. "I have a girl that works for me. She says her transmission has been acting funny lately. I was going to bring it in tomorrow but if you have the time, I was wondering if you could look into it."

"What kind of car is it?" I swung my leg over and stood above the seat as I reached for my helmet.

"It's a 2010 Kia Sorento."

"My specialty is old cars, but I can take a look. We might have to tow it in to TM depending on whether or not I can work with it."

"All right. I'll let her know. I'll give you the address. You can pick up the parts there."

I nodded and started the engine. Waving bye to Gemma as she stood in the door, I walked my bike backwards into the street. Opening the throttle, I was gone.

What Gemma said about Juice stuck in my head as I drove the few miles to work. I hadn't known the guy very long. He had joined the club while I was guy. From what I understood though, the guys treated him as if he was a little slow. He might be but that was something he could handle. Luckily for me, I could be on his terms if he needed that.

I stopped at the stop light and waited, thoughts whirling. I was seriously entertaining the thought of getting into another relationship. I heard a shrill whistle over the sound of my engine. Two guys stood at the crosswalk where either admiring me or my bike. I wasn't too keen on either. I would have slipped off my helmet but the light turned green. Pulling the front tire up, I left them in a trail of dust.

The shop was already full of people when I pulled into the parking lot. There was an open spot between Tig's and Chibs' bikes so I slid right there. No one was going to mess with my bike when it was surrounded by theirs. The guys were milling about as I walked towards the office. One of the girls that worked in the clubhouse and the office nodded at me as I came in. I clocked in, amazed that everyone welcomed me back so quickly.

"Silky," Jax said as he appeared in the doorway. I looked over as I shed my jacket and hung it in one of the lockers that was always under Gemma's supervision. "There's someone here to see you. He's in the clubhouse."

Frowning I followed him from the office to the clubhouse. No one ever asked for me while I was here before so why now? I hadn't done anything while I was gone. Well, nothing that would get me into trouble with the club. My dad was a completely different story, but there wasn't anything I was going to tell him that he couldn't find out himself.

The guys were assembled around the bar and that alarmed me. If they weren't hanging around the TV or playing pool, it meant something. I rounded the corner, completely aware that there was a cop or agent or someone else who had jurisdiction over San Joaquin Sheriff Department. I was dressed in my usual, jeans, a black tank, and gray tennis shoes, and I didn't care.

The man stood up and I was instantly put off. He was young, very attractive, and had a dangerous air about him. But he didn't compare to my dad who stood behind me with such close proximity I could feel his body heat. Chibs and Juice were to my left as Jax and Happy filled in the right side.

"Annalissa Silk Trager I presume?" he said.

I rolled my eyes. "You know who I am so don't make a scene. Now give me your name and we can get this train a-rolling."

He smiled slightly, but I could tell it was a forced smile. "I'm Agent Dylan Malone. Your name popped up on a meth addict's admission into rehab in Dallas. Do the names Eric and Kaylin Silk mean anything to you?"

"They're the names of my birth parents. Why?"

"Eric was one of our agents thirty-five years ago. Twenty-four years ago he and his wife were reported dead and their daughter missing. Do you know anything about that?"

"I would have been six so no, I don't."

"Do you remember your parents at all?" I gave him a droll stare. He flipped open his little black notebook and wrote something down. "What do you remember of that night?"

I frowned. "Who said it was night?" He tilted his head at my question. "Who said it was night my parents were killed? The time of death on the medical staff's reports said 10:30 am on June 15. They died in the morning. How do you know the wreck was at night?"

He seemed taken aback that I would know when my own parents died when I didn't remember anything else. I took a step forward, aware that doing so might start a fight that the agent was going to lose.

"The police report says the wreck happened at 6:35 pm in Charming, California. San Joaquin said the accident happened in the morning. I remember the accident vividly. The headlights, the screeching of tires, my body being caught by the seatbelt as the momentum of the car shot me forward, hearing my mother scream my name as she turned around in her seat to make sure I was okay, my father bleeding out in the car because his femoral artery had ruptured. I remember every little thing because I see them every night when I close my eyes. So having some hotshot agent show up twenty-four years later asking about an accident that he knows nothing about pisses me off."

I watched as my anger at the situation dawned on him. He had to be a young one because he seemed a little too eager. Bringing up a twenty-four year old accident was not the way to advance a career.

"Listen, young blood, leave this alone. You're only going to dredge up emotions that I buried a long time ago. Not to mention anger my dad. He doesn't take too kindly of a man making his little girl cry." I turned away from him.

"What if I told you that your parents' deaths were senseless and juvenile? That someone had messed with their brakes so they would crash?"

I looked back at him. "That's nonsense. San Joaquin said no foul play."

"What if…"

"Drop it!"

I stormed out the door. When Juice came to find me ten minutes later, I was stripping the parts off the Indian. He had to dodge the tire as I lobbed it. He could tell I was angry.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked as I sat down hard on the floor and started doing something else. He placed his hand over mine to still it. I looked up at him, ready to bite his head off, but he looked sincere. "What do you need me to do?"

I leaned into his arm a little bit. There wasn't anything pressing that I needed to do but I didn't want to work on the motorcycle now. I looked up at him.

"Take me to sheriff's station."


	5. Chapter 5

Walking into a sheriff's station with a wanted criminal is like walking into a bar with a beefed up guy. It's not a good idea. Well, I did it regardless. I wanted answers. That hotshot agent had annoyed the fire out of me and I was ready to turn it on someone. The sheriff of San Joaquin was as good a choice as any.

Everyone stared when I walked through with Juice trailing behind me. He seemed a little scared but I understood why. From what I understood, it had been the sheriff who had gotten him to rat out the club. Being in the station had to grate on his nerves because he was glancing around as if someone were going to jump out and attack him. Without thinking, I took his hand to ease his shaking.

I knocked on the door frame and waited until the man looked up. Eli Roosevelt looked distant. There was a dark look in his eyes like he had lost something dear to him. I looked down at the desk. Besides paperwork, there were pictures covering his desk. I caught a good look at one of them. There was a beautiful woman in most of them. The one I could see was a double frame. One side held a picture of his wife and the other was of a sonogram. In an instant I knew what was going on.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

I nodded and walked through the door. "My name is Annalissa Trager. Do you by any chance know an Agent Dylan Malone?"

He thought about it a minute. "No, I don't. Is there an issue with this agent?"

I motioned to the chair in front of me. When he nodded, I sank down into it. Juice stood behind me with his hands on the chair. When Roosevelt lifted an eyebrow, I waved it aside.

"Agent Malone showed up at the clubhouse today spouting nonsense about my parents' deaths. He brought up things that weren't even included on the police report. Now how would an agent who's newly out of Quantico know about a twenty-four year old case that was swept under the rug due to failed brake pads?"

Roosevelt raised another eyebrow at me. After I had had my friend hack into the system, I had retrieved every bit of information that I could find. I had also had someone I had known send me information that hadn't been archived due to time constraints. I knew as much about that night as anyone else did, maybe even more. That's how I knew the information the kid was spouting was something in the restricted files.

The sheriff stared at us for the longest. He was thinking of a way to make sure he covered his ass as he told me what I wanted to know. I wasn't sure if he knew about the case but he definitely didn't know about the agent. For the time being he was on my side, and that was all I needed. I may be an outside member of SAMCRO but I knew how to lie low.

Roosevelt leaned back in his seat and crossed his hands over his stomach. "Are you the daughter that got sucked into the system?" I inclined my head. "How did you end up staying in Charming?"

"After the wreck, I was in the hospital for three weeks with internal bleeding, lacerations, and broken bones. Gemma was there to bring Thomas in for a checkup. She saw me and came in. The routine started after that. When I was discharged, I went to the club. It took a day or so for the club to figure out who I was going to live with. Finally Tig spoke up. He rented an apartment and I went to live with him. When he went to jail, I went to Gemma and Clay. I grew up in this club, but I was always outside of it," I explained.

"When I was sixteen, I changed my last name from Silk to Trager. My name is still Annalissa but I got affectionately by Silky. Now can you help me or do I have to go about this by nasty means?"

"I thought you were raised outside of the club."

"I was but do you really think that everyone escapes violence? Even as a little girl, I knew that violence wasn't far off. Growing up with Jax Teller and Opie Winston as your big brothers means a lot of fights on the playground when you're bullied. Those fights only got worse as we grew up. Though I was shielded from the inner workings of the club, I always knew that blood and death go hand in hand with each other."

"Are you in the club now?"

"I'm back, I work at Teller-Morrow, I live with Gemma Teller, and I'm working on rebuilding the relationship with my dad. But I don't live in the club. I'm the black sheep of the family, the lone wolf if you will."

"Would you become an old lady if you had a choice?"

It was a trick question but I knew the answer. "Absolutely. I understand what it means to be an old lady. You just see the outside of it, but on the inside it can be good and bad. You have to know your place. Once you do that, you're fine. Besides, no man would ever lay his hands on me. He'd had to go up against my dad. And Jax. And Chibs. No man would survive those three."

The answer was easy. I had tried to live outside the club and I had succeeded but I felt alone in the world. There was no easy camaraderie as there had been between Jax, Opie and I when we were kids. We were the only children born to the club, but we were protected. No one went after the kids of Clay, Piney and Tig. Growing up, it was just the three of us, and that was all it was supposed to be.

When the boys were patched into the club, I was there. Even after I left, I knew leaving was going to be hard. I had left everything I had known to make a life that I knew was going to be empty.

Juice's hands settled on my shoulders and I realized that my answer had really hit home for him. Gemma was right. He was seriously interested in me.

Roosevelt sighed. "I'll make a call. I'll see what I can find out about Agent Malone. If he's here for an unsanctioned visit, I'll let you know."

I nodded. "Is there any way you can get under the confidential portions of the paperwork? He said there was something about my birth dad being an agent of sorts."

"I'll see what I can find, but you should stop hacking into police files." He smiled, belying the tension in his tone.

"Maybe you should learn how to password protect everything you do." I smiled in return. "If there's anything you need, let me know. You're doing a big favor." I stood and headed for the door. "Wait." I turned around. "And from now on, don't blackmail Juice because his father's African-American. I don't take too well when people piss off my family."

I walked out of the room, leaving Roosevelt with his mouth hanging open. Juice looked just like him as we walked out to his bike. It was safer to ride together. I was able to reach for his weapon faster than he was. I could shoot so we were safe.

Juice wrapped a hand around my elbow and pulled me to a stop. He had me pinned against his bike but it wasn't in a threatening way. He searched my face for any kind of lie but I had nothing to hide. He knew that I knew and I wasn't sure if that was okay with him.

"Did you hack into New York's police files?" he asked.

I smiled at him. "You're not the only one who knows their way around a computer." He didn't return it. "I'm not going to tell. It's not my secret to tell anyway."

"I could get kicked out of the club."

"I know, but I don't have a big mouth. I haven't lived this long without learning a few things that aren't mechanics and engineering."

He didn't say anything at first. Then again he didn't have to. I could see it all in his eyes. He was still very apprehensive about all of this. I figured he should take heart in the fact that he had one person on his side that didn't see him as a rat. I would have done the same thing if I had been in his shoes.

I could tell he desperately wanted to lean forward but I guess the fear of Tig held him at bay. His hands gripped my hips as he pressed his forehead to mine. I closed my eyes as the feeling of rightness popped up within me.

"Where to now?" he asked as he moved his head away. He kept contact by way of his hands.

"I need to run by Nero's. One of his girls needs me to look at her transmission," I replied.

He nodded then handed me the extra helmet I had been using. I was used to a sports bike and a helmet with a face guard. I normally wore sunglasses anyway so all I had to do was slide the plastic down and ride. With an open helmet, all I had for protection was the sunglasses. I snapped the clip on helmet then tucked my braid into my jacket. I took his hand the slid into the seat behind him.

The term riding bitch was always funny to me. Not many women rode behind their men on a normal basis. They hated being involved in some of the things that went down. I on the other hand didn't really mind. It was an adrenaline rush. The power of the Harley as it thundered effortlessly down the road. Then there was the man and the way his muscles flexed as he handled the bike. If I was a bitch, so be it. I liked the thrill.

I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around Juice's waist. I set my chin in his shoulder and pressed the side of my helmet to his. He tilted his head to the side and I watched his mouth tilt up slightly.

We pulled into the driveway of Deyeso's. It was a small house but had a lot of cars parked out front. Men were always looking for their next hit so they ventured out in broad daylight. It used to be known as the red light district. Now they were in suburbia, and that made my skin crawl.

Juice slipped his arm around my shoulders as we walked up to the front door. He was being very protective but he really didn't need to. I was completely good. No one was going to mess with me. I'm pretty sure Nero was going to be very protective too considering we tended to sleep under the same roof.

A voluptuous girl opened the door. She smiled at Juice then raked her eyes over me. I was going to have so much fun with this. She said something and let us enter. I looked around the place like it was something that I shouldn't care about, but I was curious. That curiosity died when I saw how they were dressed and fawning all over the guys.

"How may I help you?" another woman asked. She wasn't as big as the other woman but she was up there.

"I'm here to see Nero," I said. "Tell him Silky's here."

She set her hip and looked me up and down. "Are you here to work? You would be a good addition to our group."

Juice sniggered behind his hand as I sighed and lifted up my shirt. One look at the tattoo had the girl gasping. She was used to seeing old ladies with a crow tattoo. I had obviously slipped into that category but I wasn't getting a crow. My scythe would do me just fine. I cast a glance to Juice and noticed he was admiring it.

"I'm already taken," I said. "Just find Nero."

The man at my side outright laughed when the woman disappeared. I cut my eyes to him and glared gently before looking around. He nudged me to the bar. I went along with it. If I was going to be here, I might as well get a free drink out of it.

I sat down on a stool and spun around to watch the life. I recognized a couple of the guys from around town. Two of them were on the city council. Another was one of the guys that worked at a local gas station. I knew for fact that he had three children and a wife. She was going to be pissed when she found out. I was going to laugh.

"Silky, you're earlier than I thought you would be," Nero said as he walked up. I was taking a happy sip of my beer.

"I had a little mishap at work so I bailed," I replied.

"Mishap? Is everything alright?"

I shrugged. "Don't know. Dad might be on a warpath right now. Our first stop was to the station then we came here."

Nero cast a look to Juice but he was too busy looking the other way to notice. I shook my head when he looked back at me. "Is there anything I can do?"

"If you have a P.I. on call I would love to talk to him. If not, I just walked into a den of lions."

"I bet."

"Nero," a girl asked. She pulled him away from us to talk.

I watched as Nero dealt with her. From what I could tell he ran a tight ship. I finished my drink then shoved the bottle away. When I looked over, Juice was making faces at another girl. I popped him in the back of the head. He looked at me then dropped his head like a scolded puppy. Not wanting to see him upset, I patted him on the spot I smacked then scratched his skin with my nails.

Nero walked back over and just stared. He shook his head with a smile.

"The car's this way," he said. "I have the keys."

I got up and followed him through the front door. The girls called to Juice as he followed us out. I whirled on my heel to watch him flounder. Not many girls gave that much attention. I had a feeling it was due to the way everyone treated him.

What I liked about Juice was that he was very simple minded. He didn't think things through a lot. Dad had told me about the time he fed a Doberman Crank and the dog bit Dad in the ass. That same simplemindedness made a lot of the guys think he was a guy whose elevator didn't go to the top.

It was probably one of the reasons he tried to keep the club from finding out about his father. The main reason was obviously he would be beaten then tossed from the club. This brotherhood was the only thing he had so he desperately wanted to keep it.

I heard a car horn beep and that brought me back to the reason I was around. For a 2010 Kia Sorento, the bar was banged up. Normally these cars would last about ten years, but someone had gotten angry and taken that anger out on the car.

I popped the hood and stuck my head under it. Someone had really this car.

"Juice, start the engine," I said. I heard the keys jingle seconds before the car roared to life. The knocking started first then a couple of other noises followed. Juice sidled up beside me. "Hear that?"

He nodded. "Yep, and that smells like an oil leak."

"And coolant." I frowned as something else wafted up. "Kill it."

As Juice ran around one side of the car, I went around the other side. I knew one of the smells very well. It was soaked into all of the textured surfaces at the clubhouse and Gemma's. The second smell was completely different. It smelled like a battery had been left in the sunlight for too long and melted.

With the guys watching me, I leaned over. There was a bulge on the right fender that shouldn't be there. It was rubbing against the tire. That would make any tire bald and bald tires on a rainy night meant trouble.

I dropped to the ground and reached under the fender. It was locked solid so I had to scrabble for it. Most mechanics don't keep long fingernails for the simple reason they are cumbersome. Plus they'll break. Right then I wished I had fingernails.

I finally pulled the panel loose and a huge Ziploc bag fell to the ground. I groaned as I pulled the panel all the way off. I shimmied out from under the car and held up my findings.

"Is that…" Nero didn't finish his sentence in English.

"Someone took out this poor car for coke?" Juice asked.

I nodded. "For this amount, I could buy parts for about six months. I take it you didn't know."

Nero rubbed his face seconds before he shook his head. "No. Kate never said anything about it. Her old man always had a drug habit though. He never liked her working here either, even though all she does is stock my bar. I don't sell her out or anything."

"Is he the one who pummeled the car?"

"That would be my guess."

I handed it to him. "You better get rid of it or you'll be shut down for possession and intent to distribute."

"Yeah, I'll do that. What about the car?"

Juice shrugged. "I'll be back by to pick it up with the truck. I'm not too comfortable having someone drive it, not with that oil leak."

"All right. Bill it to me when you're done."

I nodded and we walked back around the building to the bike. There was no point in words because we knew what each other was thinking.

What a close call.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** In the previous chapter I made some things up. I also didn't have internet when I wrote the chapter so I couldn't look up the name of Nero's business.

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Gemma had to cancel dinner due to Nero's girl Kate, the one whose car we were looking at, had her face knocked in by her estranged husband. Obviously he had come looking for his coke. Juice had gone back a couple of hours before Kate had been beaten.

I had gotten off the back of Juice's bike and went right to work. Nero had stopped us before we had peeled out and had given me the parts I had ordered. I had the heel-and-toe shift pedal almost complete when I screwed it up and had to try it again. By the third time, I was made enough to spit bullets. In the bay next to me, I heard Juice let loose a few of his own. He was working on the Kia.

I had lost track of time and the ability to feel my fingers when I heard a couple of bikes pull up. I heard the exhaust of one and knew it was my dad's. He had laid it over a few years ago and there was nothing to do about it. He complained about it but he always knew what bike was his.

The two bikers banged into the clubhouse. I had no idea what was going on but they were being loud. There was scratching from inside. The floors were concrete or hardwood covered with a special rug. It sounded like they were moving the pool table out of the way and setting up the card tables they had for random poker nights. I had no idea why they were doing that but more power to them.

"Come on you damn thing," I gritted out. The wrench slipped from my hand and I busted my knuckles on the rack. "Damn it."

Juice's head came up over the other car. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just cracked my knuckles on this thing." I stuck them in my mouth in an attempt to ease the pain. "I'm almost done. I just need to get this set up and it's finished."

He came around the car wiping his hands on a grease rag. "What is it?"

"I can't get the thing to tighten."

Juice nudged me out of the way and picked up the stray tool. I watched him tighten the damn bolt when I couldn't. It irritated me but I wasn't about to put my knuckles through that again. When he was finished, he handed the wrench back to me with a goofy grin. I snatched it back and lightly tapped him on the forehead with it. The door to the garage opened.

"Silky, dinner's ready," Chibs said. "You too, Juicy."

We looked at each other then set down whatever we had in our hands and went into the clubhouse. Phil, Chibs and my dad were gathered around two of the big card tables. Chinese food was spread out between them and they were digging in. I shook my head and headed over to the bar. Grabbing six beers, I walked back over to the table. Sitting between Chibs and Juice, I snagged the box of Mushu Pork and batted off grabby hands. I don't share food.

"Dude, what happened to the Kung Pao Chicken?" Juice asked. Phil looked guilty. "What else is there then since big fella is eating all that's good?"

"There's combination fried rice and if you can get Silky to share, Mushu Pork," Chibs replied.

"Touch the box and you die," I replied as I held my fork above the opening. Juice gave me the puppy dog look as he wrapped an arm around the back of my chair. "Are you looking to die?"

"I'll die of starvation before you shoot me."

Sighing, I stabbed my fork into the box. I held it up and he took the bite. "That's all you get."

He dropped his head with a sigh then buried his fingers in my hair as he pressed his forehead to mine. We both knew what it looked like, but that was okay.

"Hey, hey, hey," Tig said from across the table. "No, no, no. This is not okay."

Chibs laughed at him. "Come on, Tiggy. You knew this was going to happen sooner or later. She's thirty years old for crying out loud. It's better she's in the club than lone wolfing it."

Lone wolf was a term we used when someone ran outside the club instead of inside. It was used mainly for children who weren't patched in but were affiliated. I was the only one who wasn't patched in because I was a woman, but I hadn't been affiliated with them for a while. I lone wolfed it for years, checking in here and there but never belonging. Most were excommunicated but being from SAMCRO, it didn't work that way for me.

I looked my dad square in the eye. It was a challenge that he wouldn't pass up. His eyes darted between the two of us. Juice was too afraid to look him in the eye so he dug into his dinner. I on the other hand wasn't afraid of him. Then again I wasn't the one who had tried to protect my family.

I narrowed my eyes and my dad looked away. This was one dominance round I had won. He wouldn't be pressing me again about Juice. I shoved the carton between me and the guy on my left. Juice looked up briefly before shoving his fork in.

Chibs grabbed my hand and examined my knuckles. "Silky, what have I told you about shifting your hand? You don't want this to happen."

I pulled my hand away. "I know, I know. I just got caught up working and forgot."

"Was that one of Nero's girls' cars we saw in the garage?" Tig asked. I nodded. "What was so important about that car? I heard Gemma talking about a bag of coke in the fender."

Juice and I looked at each other. Damn Gemma and her big mouth. She didn't know how to keep her mouth shut when she found out something about someone else. If it was about the club, she was able to keep a tight lip. I wish she could keep a tight lip all the time with club activities and things she didn't know.

"Does this have anything to do with that girl whose old man beat the snot out of her tonight?" Chibs asked. I didn't reply but that was enough for him. "Stay away from that woman. Get her car out of our garage tomorrow. We can't have some deranged drug addict coming after you."

"I didn't do anything but fix a poor woman's car."

"We know that, but for now, you need to stay away from Gemma's. I'll go over and get your bag," Tig said.

"Where am I going to stay? You sold the apartment. If I can't stay at Gemma's, I have nowhere to stay."

"You can stay with me," Juice said. Tig and Chibs looked at each other then back at the younger man. "I was there with you when you found the coke. I'm the one that hauled the car here. As far as I can tell, we're in this together." He looked to the other men, the men who counted. "What do you say?"

I watched the tic in my dad's jaw work. I had only seen that happen once or twice. Usually it was when he had a difficult job to do and his conscience was getting the better of him. Most of the club didn't think he had a conscience so it made it all the more important for someone to pay attention. He was generally a smart guy. The only things that got in his way were guns, hot women, and his daughters.

It was easy to see the moment he gave up on the argument that was on the tip of his tongue. He waved his hand dismissively. Usually I took that to mean I could do what I wanted.

Though my dad was able to give an answer easily didn't mean Chibs was. The Scotsman stood up and walked behind me. Juice, understanding what was going on, did the same. I turned around in my seat to watch. Chibs jerked him closer by his cut.

"There's one thing you should know about this girl," he said. "She is fully protected by the club. She is the only childhood friend Jackie Boy has left. She's Tig's youngest daughter, and the only girl this club has ever thought of as its own. If you ever hurt her in any way, you'll have to answer to all of us, mostly Tig, Jax, and myself. Do I make myself clear?" he demanded. Juice nodded his head a little too emphatically.

I popped Chibs in the belly with the back of my hand. "Leave him alone. I think he understands that beating on me is off limits."

"It's not only beatings. After what happened to Gemma, we're tight on the girls," Tig said.

I was confused by that one. "What happened to Gemma?"

Chibs let Juice go then sank down into his seat. "A few years ago the White Supremacist group targeted the club. They beat and raped Gemma to send a message."

"Nords?"

"One of their family crews. The Aryans, but they all seem the same."

I rubbed my hands together. "Dad, what would have happened if I had been here during that time?" All three men leaned forward. "It's just a question. Don't bite my head off with an answer."

I watched another wave of anger wash over Tig. He was angry that something had happened to Gemma. He had always thought highly of that woman. Hell, I thought highly of her as well. If I didn't, I wouldn't be living with her. Anything like that would kill the club. It was probably one of the reasons Gemma had backtracked so much.

Chibs wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him. His hand braced my head as he pressed it to his bearded cheek. This was home to me. How many nights had I spent in this clubhouse with this man as he watched over me while Tig was off doing God knows what? He had read to me and allowed me to ride with him whenever I wanted. He was like a second father.

"If anyone did that to you, we'd rip his balls off and shove them down his throat. No one messes with our girls, daughters or old ladies," he said.

"Thanks for the term of endearment," I joked. "It's almost as good as lone wolf."

Juice looked up at the camera. "Roosevelt's here."

Tig turned in his chair to look at the screen. "What the hell is the sheriff doing here?"

"He's here for me," I replied. "I went by the station today to see if he could help me. He doesn't know anything about that agent but he said he'd get back to me. I guess he has some information."

"Well, let him in."

Juice got up and went to the door. We heard him talking to Roosevelt for a second before letting him in. The sheriff wasn't too thrilled to be in the clubhouse but this was as good a place as any to come talk to me, especially since he had gotten the information so quickly.

Tig moved around the table to sit at the end. Phil, who had barely said anything all during dinner, moved to the bar. Juice leaned against the wall beside the entryway. Roosevelt took a cautious step forward then squared his shoulders and walked on over to take a seat.

"I got to thinking about what you said. You were right. Why would an agent fresh out of Quantico go after a woman he has no idea about? So I did some research." He tossed a folder onto the table. It barely missed a bowl of soy sauce. "You will find something very interesting in there."

I pulled the folder to me and opened it. Reading through it all, I understood what it meant. "My dad had a sister."

Roosevelt nodded. "Adrian Silk married Kevin Malone in January of '77. Their son Dylan was born two years later. Your parents were killed in June of '86."

"He would have been seven."

"Exactly. Now your father was a federal agent. He worked with the FBI on missing children. The year he died he had filed paperwork to retire from the feds after a ten year career. He had a family he wanted to take care of and he didn't want his job to interfere."

"Why were they in the Charming the day of the crash?" Juice asked.

"They were just passing through. Someone didn't like that and took them out." Roosevelt leaned across the table and looked me dead in the eye. "If there is anything you can remember, I need you to tell me as soon as possible."

I sucked in my lip as I closed my eyes. There were obvious things I remembered, like the crash and the hospital stay. But those were the after effects. I tried to remember what was going on before all of that.

"Um…" My throat felt raw. "I remember laughing at something my dad had said. I remember he was wearing an um…blue shirt with jeans. He had his sunglasses on. My mom was in a sundress and her hair was free." I licked my lip but nothing came up. I opened my eyes and shook my head. "No. I can't remember anything else. Sorry."

Roosevelt nodded and leaned back. "I understand but if you think of anything else, you have to let me know. I think this guy has it out for the club."

Chibs tightened his arm around my shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"His supervisor said he had been looking into the Sons of Anarchy. I don't know why but it may have something to do with you. He may think the sons killed his uncle. If you did, you better fess up now or risk losing the one woman who never did any harm to you."

"Don't lie to me," I said. "This is too important for you to lie."

No one answered me. I knew what it meant.

Shoving away from the table, I knocked my chair over. Not bothering to pick it up, I walked over to the bar where my gear was sitting and snagged it. I slid my jacket on while I was walking out the door, which I promptly slammed behind me.

"Hey, Silky," Jax said as he ambled up. I brushed right by him. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Away from here," I called as I threw my leg over my bike. I slid my helmet over my head and snapped it closed. Two weeks back and my family had already pissed me off.

I rode away.


	7. Chapter 7

It was about three in the morning when I rolled back into Teller-Morrow. I hadn't gone far. I'd been at the cemetery just sitting in front of John Teller's grave. I wished he was alive to tell me what exactly had happened. Not knowing was kind of annoying and aggravating.

What had hurt the most was the silence when I asked the question. They knew something but weren't going to say anything. I knew they kept their business aspects with the club secret, but this was about my family I had lost as a little girl. They knew something but weren't going to say anything.

By the time I was done wallowing in anger, I was tired. I got back to my bike and found I had six missed calls. Gemma had been two. The rest had been from Tig. He was the one I really didn't want to talk to so I refused to call him back. I called Gemma and made sure she knew I was okay then I made sure she didn't tell Tig. I wasn't going to speak to him for a while.

The lights of TM were turned low as I parked. It was the same way inside. The only lights on were those of the bar. Chibs was sitting in front of the TV watching with a half-full beer. He turned when I closed the door. He waved.

"Juicy's room is the third door," he said. I didn't reply as I left him to his conscience. Let it eat him up. I would reap the benefits.

I went to the third door and tested the lock. It was open so I went in. Juice was sitting up cleaning his handgun. He looked up as I walked in but he didn't say anything. He pointed to the chest and I rummaged through it. I found a light colored t-shirt. Not really caring that he was in the room, I changed. When I was done, I turned around. Juice looked up and scooted over so I could have the free spot.

The pillow smelled like it had been freshly washed, but it also had the faint scent of Juice on it. It was slightly comforting. I watched hi clean his gun then load the clip. He chambered a round then clicked the safety on. He got up and started to shed his clothes. I shuffled until I was buried under the covers. Juice slipped into a pair of shorts, turned off the light then crawled back in.

We stared at each other for a long time. Even in the dark we could see each other very clearly. It was like his eyes were luminescent they were that bright in the darkened room. He reached over and took my hand, threading his fingers through mine. I gave him a mirror of a smile. He turned onto his back. When he did, he pulled me against him. I heard his heart beating against my ear and it immediately started lulling me asleep.

I was roused by a hit to the kidney. It hurt so badly that it knocked the breath from me. I rolled over and buried a grunt in the pillow. I wasn't used to sleeping with anyone. Even when I had a boyfriend we never really slept together. There were plenty of times when I had been hit like this while training. Never had I been hit while I was asleep.

Gripping my aching side, I got up and went into the bathroom. There was a red mark in the shape of knuckles on my side. I knew that if I wore a tank it would ride up and everyone would see the mark. Juice would be in for an earful after that.

I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I didn't know why I did it when I was just going out there to drink coffee. Nothing was worse than minty coffee. When I was done, I walked out. My duffle bag was tossed in the chair by the door. I grabbed a pair of jeans and one of my favorite grease stained shirts. I changed as quickly as I could then walked out to the commons area.

It was nearing eight and everyone was asleep. They wouldn't be in to work closer to noon. I made a pot of coffee and grabbed a snack bar from the cabinet. I was already awake so I might as well open the bay doors. There was no point keeping them closed if someone was around to man the shop. I poured me a cup of coffee, doused it in creamer, and took it into the garage.

After opening the first two bays, I set about readying the shop for the day. Sometimes the guys let grime gather on the tools. This time was no different so I started cleaning them. It would take a little bit of time but I loved monotony. I set my coffee down on the toolbox and started cleaning.

An hour passed with no movement from inside or out. I liked the peace and quiet but this was getting ridiculous. They should have better times to sleep. I was finishing up the toolbox I bought a few days ago that the guys had somehow managed to mess up when a truck pulled up. It was old but the engine sounded like it had been fixed recently. The driver got out and I noticed it was an older gentleman. Instantly my gut started to churn.

"Can I help you?" I asked even though my head was screaming to shut up.

"Are you Silky Trager?" he asked.

"Yeah. What's up?"

I got my answer when he slammed my face into the toolbox. My training kicked in and I hopped up. I dodged a blow to the head and went for the abdomen. I heard him grunt in pain, but his yell carried throughout the garage and undoubtedly the clubhouse. He caught me off guard after that. He grabbed me and slammed my back into the barrier between the bay doors. My head snapped back so hard I saw stars.

The door to the garage flew open as the boys burst out. Chibs let out a slew of Gaelic curses that would have had me covering my ears if I knew what they meant. That and if I could hear clearly. When the lights stopped bursting behind my eyes, I slipped from his grasp and tiptoed away. When he came at me, I used his momentum to shove him into the wall face first. While he was picking himself up off the floor, I pulled the gun from my boot.

"Get up and I'll blow your head off," I warned. My face stung because he had caught me right where Trevor had. I licked my lip. Yep, it was busted. "Why are you here?"

"You're the one that came by my woman's work. Where are my drugs?" he demanded.

"Where they should be. Do you know how much damage a car can go through if a tire blows? Your wife would be dead."

"Like I care." I frowned at him then rared back and brought my fist down on his nose. "Next time you slam a girl's face into a toolbox make sure she can't fight back." I shoved his head into the floor and got off him.

Tig was there in an instant kicking the shit out of him. I had to grab him and shove him backwards. He went back again but I used his momentum to spin him around away from the guy. He stared down at me and I glared right back at him. Finally he backed down and grabbed me into a tight hug. He walked back into the clubhouse. When we were in front of the bar, he picked me up like I weighed nothing – and I didn't—and set me on it. He took my face gently in his hands and tilted it from side to side.

:"There's no permanent damage but it is swollen." He dropped his hands only to shove them in his pockets. "Are you ever going to talk to me again?"

"Are you ever going to answer my question?" I asked. "Did you have anything to do with my parents' deaths?" He scuffed his boot against the floor. "If you can't answer a simple question, then I can't talk to you."

"I fixed your dad's brakes. Your family was in Charming on your way to Washington State. He knew his brakes were going out so he stopped here and checked you and your mother into a hotel. That's all I know."

"You didn't mess with them?" He shook his head. "Was there anyone else strange in town? I understand a family traveling the scenic route. Was there someone, anyone you thought was out of the ordinary?"

"I barely remember what I had for breakfast yesterday. How would I remember something from twenty-four years ago?"

I quit asking questions then. He was right. There was no way he was going to be able to remember anything like that, especially if it didn't matter. I slid off the bar and walked to Juice's room. There wasn't going to be any work getting done considering I was so riled up. So I traded my jeans for my sweats and boots for tennis shoes then went out to the boxing area.

No one was there. It was going to be peaceful as I worked out. Shoving ear buds into my ears, I cranked up the music and began a strenuous routine. I had developed it years ago when I first started training. It was an easy way for me to train both body and mind. It had come in handy today when I needed it to, but I wasn't guaranteed that later on down the road.

As I was giving the sandbag a what for, Happy walked out. I recognized the smile he was wearing. It was his predatory smile he used when he was getting ready to go out for a hit. Growing up, Happy had always been around and no one had kept it from me that he was a killer. His belly proved that with all the happy faces. He was nothing but kind to me and that made it fun.

I watched him jump into the ring then beckon me. Unable to resist a good fight, I slid in under the bottom rope. He brought his knee up to catch me in the face but I caught his good ankle then slid out of the way when he came crashing down. He was on his feet again but I had already in the corner ready for him

The next few minutes were just a blur of movements. Punches, kicks and cheap shots were the major ones. If we made contact, we pulled our movements so we didn't hurt each other. Happy had the brute strength behind his hits. I was just mean. I wasn't aware that there was an audience until Happy caught me in the ribs. I would have been fine if I hadn't already been hit in the kidneys this morning. Unfortunately I fell like a box of rocks.

I heard Chibs and Jax swear as Happy looked shocked he actually made contact. That was fine. I flipped into a standing position then used my weight to body tackle my friend. That really caught him off guard so while he was scrapping for a hand hold I wrapped my legs around his neck and swung. My momentum took me around and flipped him. I came up in a crouching position. Happy was sprawled out on the mat.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked as he held out a hand.

I took it and let him lever himself up. "I started training immediately after I left Charming. It helped with agility and stamina."

"It looks like it helped tone you."

"Hey," Jax said. "We have to go. Irish are causing trouble. Silk, stay here. No one comes in."

"All right." I watched as they hurried to their bikes with a sinking feeling in my stomach.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** This will be a spoiler chapter of sorts. If you haven't seen the fourth episode of Season 6, this will give a little bit away. Plus there's my story on top of it.

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When Jax told me to lockdown the shop, he meant it. Other shit had gone down at the warehouse. Two of the Sons had been butchered. Jax had ordered everything burned. Getting out of the gun running business was going to be harder than they thought, so the Irish proved.

Roosevelt happened to be around when the President came in. Jax had raised an eyebrow at me. I was determined to do anything I could to find out what happened to my parents. Tig had already resigned himself to the fact that I wasn't going to back down. He came in and sat with us and gave his thoughts on the matter.

Being a woman and not being patched in meant, I couldn't go to church when it was called. I sat around with Gemma and Tara and played with the boys. Roosevelt stayed for a little bit to make sure he had everything I said in order. He was going after Malone but he would have to stop me first. I'd never been arrested but I wouldn't mind doing so if it meant I could find out what had happened.

I watched Tara with the boys. Jax was crazy about his kids so it made sense that he would bring them to the clubhouse where they were safe. After I walked Roosevelt out—because no one was going to attack a member of the San Joaquin Sheriff's on Sons property—I came back in. Abel laughed and came running over to me. I picked him up and swung him around. He squealed then I set him on his feet so he could run back to his mom.

Watching all the people affiliated with this group made me realize just how badly I had missed this. The only two friends I had had while growing up had been here. I had hated leaving them but it needed to be done. But coming back had told me that life was completely different now. Clay was in jail, and Ope was dead. The club had been split in half, Bobby was gone, and now one of members and a prospect was dead. And the women were left to pick up the pieces. I was on the lower end of the totem pole but it still fell on me.

I had liked Phil so dealing with his death was hard. He had made a couple of comments that I hadn't like but he was club. I dealt with it. From what the boys had said, Phil hadn't been patched in very long. He had taken over as main prospect after Half-Sack had been killed a few years ago. I understood that he had been an eager participant in everything club.

Gemma looked at me and I shook my head. There was no way I was going to talk right now. I couldn't go outside and level the punching bag due the lockdown and I didn't want to stay here. I grabbed my iPod and settled into the corner away from everyone. Wrapping my head around all of this was going to be different. I was back in my home town with a guy who adored me. My dad was here, so was my friend, but now this new shit was sitting on top of me and I didn't know what to do.

I stared at on open space for the longest as the music blasted in my ears. Leave it to rock music to settle me down. I itched to hit something but I would have to pay for it if I did. Instead I opted for rolling a ketchup bottle on the table. I remember when I was younger and these things went down Bobby would always have a treat waiting for us. Thinking about it, I went into the kitchen in search for something. There was nothing there so I rummaged around until I found something I could use.

The meeting took about as long as it would take me to make a batch of cookies. I had just brought the cookies out to the main room and had handed one to able when the double doors opened. I set them on the bar and retreated to my little corner. Even with the doors opened no one came out right away. When they did, everyone made a beeline for the sugary goodness.

Juice bypassed them and came straight for me. I pulled out my ear buds and looked up at him. He kissed my forehead then sat down across from me. I knew something was up when he took my hand and began rubbing it between his own.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We're not running anything Irish. Every charter is on lockdown. Women are to be protected at all costs," he replied. He licked his lips. "Jax is off his rocker with all that's gone down with the Irish. He's down to six men now that Bobby's gone nomad. We don't know what to do. Plus we have this whole issue with this agent stirring up trouble for you. It's getting everyone riled."

"Did Tig tell everyone what's going on?"

He nodded. "Everyone knew about the agent, but they didn't know the connection. Now that they do it's even worse. Blood is thicker than water, you know this, but the cut is family. You're Tig's daughter and that makes you family."

It was my turn to nod. I stood and walked over to Jax where he was holding Thomas. He looked happy but underneath it all I could tell he was anything but. I tapped him on the shoulder and motioned him away. He nodded and handed Thomas back to his mother. We walked away from the others but it drew their eye.

"I'm letting you know that I'm planning on seeing Agent Malone tonight," I said.

I watched the look of anger pass over his face. He sighed then looked down at me. I was only five foot eight so it was easy for him to do so. But he knew this was going to come after I found out.

"You know enough already. Why do you want to go stirring up even more trouble?" he asked.

"I wasn't in trouble until I came back here. I never wanted any of this. I was happy lone wolfing it, but it all became too much and I wanted to come home. Now this falls in my lap. What do you expect me to do, Jax? You know how nosy I am and this deals with my family. My birth family that I never knew. You can't possibly ask me to walk away from it."

"It was Tig's idea. He didn't want his eating you up."

I crossed my arms. "I want to hear it from your mouth. You tell me not to go, Pres, or I go tonight. You make it an order and I'll keep my ass here. I'll only go if you're with me."

It was the only thing that would get him to think. He had always been a hot head but getting him to settle down and think was always a little easier. I turned and motioned to Juice. He came over and stood between us, completely unaware of what was going on.

"You have thirty seconds, Jax, or I walk out that door with Juice. You know he's going to follow anyway."

The President muttered under his breath then scrubbed his hands over his face. "Chibs, lock the door behind us."

"Where are you going?" Tara asked as we walked by her.

"We're going to talk to Malone. We'll see what he wants and then decide what to do with him."

"Do you need extra firepower?" Happy asked.

"No."

"Wait." Tig came over. He pulled his gun from the waistband of his jeans and handed it to me. "You remember what I taught you?" I nodded and he handed me his weapon. "If he comes at you, don't use your fancy footwork. Shoot him before he shoots you. I won't bury another daughter."

He was talking about Dawn. He had watched Damon Pope kill her a few months ago. That was what had brought me back in all honesty. I knew he would be off his rocker a little bit. It made sense for me to be here. Fawn wasn't coming back to him and the pit bull he had rescued from a dog fighting ring could only do so much. He needed family.

He huffed out a breath as he pulled me to him. Since I came back, he had been very protective. I was always within eyesight most of the time but the times I wasn't he worried. Just like those six phone calls he had sent me the night I thought he was lying.

"Juice," he said as he shifted me to his side, "if one hair is hurt on her head, I'm coming after you."

"Lay off, Papa Bear," Gemma said. "She's his old lady now. He knows what it entails."

I shoved the gun in my waistband and made sure it was covered up by my jacket. Gemma's eyebrows went up as she realized that the Reaper was on the back. Normally women weren't allowed to wear it. I shouldn't be able to but it had been a gift from Jax. She could take it up with him. I was wearing it.

"Roosevelt knows where he's staying?" Jax asked. I nodded. "Let's go."

I shoved my hands into my pockets as we walked outside. Jax dialed Roosevelt as we got ready to ride. I hugged Juice from behind in a silent thank you for his support. He rubbed my hands in acceptance. Jax snapped his phone shut.

"He's at the inn right off the interstate," he said as he started his bike.

Juice did the same. Jax led the way to Malone's hide out. Juice was fidgety. His leg bounced on the pedals. It took all that was in me not to laugh at him. So instead I rested my cheek on his back and closed my eyes. He seemed to relax a little.

The ride was usually a five to six minute drive. For some reason it was taking way longer than it should. Jax cursed beside us and took a detour down a one way street. It was about two blocks from where we were supposed to be. Sliding through alleyways was easy. It was merging into traffic that was tough. Somehow we did it smoothly.

The hotel loomed in view. Jax backed his bike into a parking space half a block away. He waited impatiently for us, jumping from one foot to the other. He started to lead the way but I stopped him. One look and the argument died from his eyes. This was my show.

I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jeans and strode casually down the sidewalk. I could feel the intense energy the guys were carrying around. They were itching for a fight. After what they had seen me do this morning to the guy, I didn't blame them. They weren't used to their old ladies beating the shit out of the men that attacked them.

I stopped at the door. Jax promptly reached over my shoulder and knocked on it. We shared a brief look in which I shook my head. He was jumpy too. The guys plastered their backs to the wall as the door opened. Dylan peered out behind a crack in the door. A smile erupted over his face. I nodded at him.

"Annalissa," he breathed "How did you find me?"

I shrugged. "It wasn't hard. You're the only federal agent in town considering ones dead in Stockton." Otto Delaney had killed the one that had tormented him. He was also the one who had apparently framed Nero for killing one of his girls. I didn't know Nero well, but the way he treated Gemma I knew he hadn't done it. Now none of us would know.

Dylan looked at me. I know what I looked like. It was the same every day. I was in jeans, a fresh t-shirt, boots, and the jacket Jax had given me. I also knew what was expected of old ladies. Apparently I had broken every single rule in the last couple of days.

I tipped my head back, and Jax and Juice burst through the door.

"What are you doing?" he demanded as they backed him up to the bed.

"You're going to answer her questions," Jax said as he locked the door and closed the blinds.

"How do you know about my parents?" I asked.

"They called my mom. She was your dad's sister. They told her what happened. Then they told her an interesting tidbit. They thought it was the work of SAMCRO." He looked pointedly at the guys. They tensed up. "We tried to get you back but California said it was impossible because it was an ongoing investigation. If we had known that you were going to be gone for twenty-four years, we would have pushed harder."

"So you waited until you could be trained to hunt SAMCRO," Jax said.

"Jax," I warned over my shoulder, "let me handle this." He growled at me but did as I asked. I looked back at Dylan. "Why are you here now?"

"ATF brought the Sons up on their radar three years ago. I was in Quantico at the time when I heard. I knew you were still out there. I wanted to bring you home. You have no idea how hard it's been not knowing if you were alive or dead."

"This is my home. It has been since that night." I adjusted my position and leaned back on my hands. "Tell me what you have." He pointed to the file on the table.

Juice grabbed it and handed it to me. I flipped it open and began reading through it. Everything Roosevelt had told me was true. This guy was a member of my family. Family was everything to me and I didn't mind that he had looked me up. But what freaked me out was he had pictures of me. These weren't pictures of me in Charming. They were of me in the various cities I had lived in.

The more I went through, the more anxious I became. This guy was not only a federal agent, but he was also a glorified stalker. I closed the file partially and looked to Juice.

"Didn't you say the ATF agent that brought everyone else here had known Tara before she came back?" I asked.

Juice nodded. "Yeah, I said that. Why?"

"Was he by any chance stalking her?"

Jax yanked the folder from my hand and began flipping through it. He let out a slew of curses. He abandoned the folder to the floor as he went for Dylan. I would have grabbed him but there was no point. He was going to go after him anyway.

"Why are you stalking her? Do you get your kicks making women uncomfortable? Huh? Do you? Do you enjoy making your only family feel as if you want her?" he asked.

"Jax," I said. "I don't want to know about that. I want to know who killed my parents. It's not going to change anything but I want to know. I want to know if it was the club."

Juice picked up the file. "'The reason behind the crash was faulty brakes. The car had been checked out at Teller-Morrow Automotive before the couple was allowed to take it. The car didn't make it five miles out of town before the brakes went and the car crashed. We have reason to believe the brakes had been tampered with before the family took the car.'"

He wasn't finished. "'We traced the sale of the brakes to a Davidson Automotive. The store was owned by Marcus Alvarez."

Jax dropped Dylan's hair and stepped back. "Mayans killed your dad and your mom."

"There's more." I leaned my cheek on Juice's shoulders. "'We were able to find out why Eric Silk was in California. He was on an uncover mission as a Mayan because he looks would let him do so. His heritage, Cherokee and Dutch, allowed him to blend in. He was able to get into the MC and unhinge them. He was pulled out of undercover and sent home because the club had found out he was a fed.'"

He looked at me. "Your dad was a fed and he was undercover with the Mayans. I'm betting our club knew as well. They had to have."

"The only ones who would know are Clay, my dad, and Piney. Tig may know, but two of the four are dead and the other's in Stockton," Jax said.

I stood suddenly, digging my chin into Juice's shoulder. I looked at Dylan. "Stay here. Don't leave town because we will hunt you down."

"Are you going to talk to the club?" Jax asked.

"Not tonight. Juice, take me home."

He tucked the file under his arm. "I'm taking this. I don't care if it's evidence."

We slammed the door on the way out.


	9. Chapter 9

Banging into the clubhouse wasn't my idea of fun but I had just found out that my dad had been affiliated with the Mayans. None of that sat right with me. Then again I had lived with the Sons for the majority of my life.

I watched Juice go to his room, undoubtedly to get his computer. Now I understood what he had gone through to protect his heritage. I was in the early stages of shock because denial was the first thing I felt. I didn't want to know but then again I did. I wanted to know if anyone remembered my dad from twenty-four years ago.

It wasn't the fact that my dad could possibly be a federal agent. I didn't care about that. I wanted to know if anyone in this club had had anything to do with my parents' deaths, whether it was accidental or on purpose. I didn't know what I was going to do when I found out but I did know that it needed to happen.

Jax slid onto a stool as pulled myself up onto the bar. Happy filled in the open spot to my left. One of the girls behind the bar started pouring drinks and passing them around. She said something to Juice when he came back. He ignored her which didn't make her too happy. She tried to get his attention once again but he turned her down flat.

"Enough," Jax scolded. "That's his old lady sitting on the bar. Unless you want your face smashed in, I suggest you quit." She slipped away quietly. "Stick up for yourself. You're even more firmly cemented in this club."

I wanted to punch him for being an ass, but that wouldn't go over well. So I kept my mouth shut. Knowing he'd angered me, Jax patted my knee in hopes to make it all better. It didn't. It just made me want to punch him even more. We had gotten into plenty of fights growing up, some of them even fist fights. He wasn't patched in at those times. Now if I punched him, I could be beaten.

Juice's fingers flew furiously over the keys. I tried to ignore the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach but it wouldn't go away. I slid off the bar and ventured into the kitchen. There wasn't a reason to get all worked up so I figured the best thing to do was to do something productive. I started making something.

It didn't take me long to make dough for banana bread. While it was cooking, I started to scrub down the kitchen. I cook or clean when I can't stop thinking about something. Tonight I did both. It was a force of habit I had learned a long time ago. It was something I hadn't been able to kick yet.

I knew the instant everyone could smell the bread. Happy and Chibs came in following their noses. Tig and Gemma were obvious thirds as they came to find out what smelled so good. Gemma looked over everything I had done.

"Maybe you should get upset more often," she said.

"No, you don't want that," Tig replied as he lifted a cookie from the plate. "Last time she was really upset she broke all the fine china."

"You don't have fine china."

"Not anymore I don't."

Gemma came up to me and placed a hand over mine to still it. I had to look up at her to figure out what she wanted. She looked like she was going to scold me but her mood changed almost immediately.

"Jax told me what's going on," she said. She held up her hands when I opened my mouth. "It's about the club. We all should know."

"Gemma, he had pictures of me in every city I have ever been in. I'm more than angry," I replied.

"He's been stalking you?" Chibs asked.

I nodded, and they pretty much growled. "Either that or he's had someone else do it. Dad, don't."

Tig stopped forward progress and turned to look at me. "The bastard has been stalking you. He needs to die."

"I know and it bothers me, but it doesn't change anything. Charming has been home for twenty-four years. You have been my dad. That doesn't change at all."

The oven chose that opportune moment to tell me the bread was ready. I turned away to pull it out. After setting it on a cooling rack, I turned back to the guys. Their minds were working at crazy speeds as they tried to figure out what to do next. I knew what they wanted to do but they would need Jax's okay to do it.

Juice smacked his hand on the wall. "You should see this."

Tig let everyone go by him. When I came up, he slipped his arm around my shoulders. I grabbed him and held on for dear life. What I had said was true, he was y dad and nothing was going to change that. No stalker, no FBI, no one.

Jax was staring at the computer screen as we rounded the corner. He waved us over and waited until we all sat down. Tara and Gemma joined the group, each one with a boy. I still wasn't sure about Tara but she hadn't done anything yet. Plus she was technically the Queen of this club. She was like Jax. I couldn't hit her.

"Malone was right. Your dad was undercover. It says here that he was on a kid smuggling case. He posed as a Mayan from a Nevada charter. It turns out it wasn't even Alvarez's charter stealing the children and forcing them to do child labor. It was a northern one. When Eric called his superiors about it, he was caught. The Mayans couldn't kill a fed so they let him go," he said.

"They must have tampered with the brake line of the car and we didn't know it," Tig said. "Who worked on that car that day?"

Gemma groaned, drawing everyone's attention. "J.T. did."

"It's mandatory to check brake lines, though," I said. "I do it every time I work on a car."

"From what I remember that day was hectic. There had been six cars we'd had to repo. Bobby had been having issues with his ex. Thomas had been in the hospital. It probably all came down on him and he must have forgotten. The brakes could have been tampered with before he changed them. I don't know."

Jax got up from his seat and came towards me, but I burrowed deeper into Tig's arms. He stepped back. "Silky, I'm so sorry. I know we didn't mean for this to happen, but we need to talk to the Mayans. We need to see if they remember anything. Are you up for that?" I nodded. "Okay. Juice, take her home."

Tig was reluctant to let me go. He let me back away but he caught my face in his hands and searched my eyes. Whatever he saw he didn't like. He kissed my cheek then let me go. Jax pulled me into a tight hug. He hadn't hugged me like that since I pulled into Teller-Morrow nineteen days ago. He let go and nodded at me.

Juice took my hand and led me away. When we got to his bike, neither one of us said a word as we got ready to leave. We also didn't think about my clothes being back at the clubhouse. I wouldn't have cared even if we did remember. I wanted to get away from the shop.

With my arms wrapped securely around his waist, we headed back to Gemma's. It felt like my life had taken a turn for the worst. I had been content knowing that my parents were dead and that I was Tig's daughter. Now all of this had cropped up and I wasn't too sure how to deal with it.

I hadn't even realized I was holding on too tight until Juice stopped at Gemma's and said something. He didn't say much as we went inside. I went straight to my room and flopped out on the bed. Juice closed the door and walked over. There wasn't much to be said.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked as he trailed a hand down my back.

"Don't leave." He nodded and kicked off his boots as I stood and did the same. I tossed my boots into the closet. "Gemma will go to Nero's tonight."

He stopped with one foot raised. "What does that mean?" He seemed to answer his question himself. "Don't answer that."

I laughed as he walked over. His hands found my hips and tugged me forward. His kiss was tentative at first but then it changed. It was raw and passionate, like he had never had someone he cared a lot about before. That made me a little sad. He backed me up until my knees hit the bed. We both laughed as he toppled on top of me. His smile was huge; he was so happy. I knew that I didn't want to turn him down.

Juice batted my hands away from his shirt. I made an annoyed noise but he ignored me. He lifted the hem of my shirt. As he went higher and higher, he kissed every patch of skin he uncovered. When he came to my tattoo he traced it with his tongue. When he pulled the shirt over my head, he hovered over me. There was so much warmth in his eyes and behind his smile that it scalded me.

I thought about getting my revenge but opted to yank is shirt over his head. I was not surprised that he was well built. He looked like he took care of himself despite his lifestyle. I let my fingers trail down his chest, pausing over two fair scars above his nipples.

He laughed and rubbed his head. "Tig and Bobby glued a sign to my chest a few years ago. I was unconscious." Leave it to my dad to be an ass.

He hissed when I kissed one then the other. I wrapped my denim clad legs around his and rolled. He landed on his back and looked up at me. I closed my eyes then dipped my head to taste his skin. His fingers trailed up and down my thighs as he let me do what I wanted.

When he was tired, he braced his hands under my thighs and lifted as he sat up. I watched the look on his face as he brought his face closer to mine. He was happy and getting happier by the moment. This time the kiss was demanding and furious. He was asking permission though. I hadn't denied him anything and I wouldn't unless he was going to be rough.

His hands worked between us as his mouth took what it wanted. He urged me to my knees and worked everything off my hips. He patted my legs to get me to wrap them around his waist. When I did, he stood and divested himself of the rest of his clothing. He brought his hand up and unclasped my bra before turning around and placing my back on the bed.

He stopped what he was doing to look me over. I knew what he was seeing. I had seen it every day for the last ten years. Besides my SOA scythe tattoo, I had four others strategically placed on my body. One of them he couldn't see because it was on my back, but the other four were in full view. He dipped his head to the wolf tattoo on my shoulder and sucked on it gently. He paid as much attention to the sun and moon on my hip as well.

He lifted up then thought about something. He leaned down to rummage around in his jeans for a minute. He came up with a condom. He smiled cheekily when I shook my head. He unwrapped it then rolled it on. He adjusted his position and surged forward. My nails scored his back at the sudden pain. He stopped.

"Wait," he said. "Are you… Oh, my God. You should have told me."

"I know it's unusual," I said as I shifted as the pain subsided.

"Why have … You said you had a boyfriend."

"Doesn't mean I slept with him." I tossed my head back and groaned. "Are we really going to talk about this?"

"Are you sure?"

I laughed. "We're already naked and you're halfway there."

He framed my face with a hand and rubbed his thumb over my cheek. "I just wanted to make sure this wasn't a mistake."

"I don't think it's a mistake."

He lowered his head to kiss me as his hips surged forward. The pain I had been experiencing was replaced with pleasure. For a first time Juice was a good partner. He was careful in everything he did. There were no sweet nothings whispered. I could tell everything he said he meant.

Juice slid his hands under my shoulders and lifted me into a sitting position. It was a deeper angle and sent sparks of heat and insanity through me. It also gave me plenty of access to his neck. He tipped his head back as I started nibbling gently at all the skin. He snorted as I bit his earlobe and subsequently blew in his ear, but he never lost his stride.

It was my turn to hiss as he took my breast in his mouth. My skin was tingling already and adding this to it only made it worse. The fire burning in my belly only went higher with each passing second. As I started getting lightheaded, I had to stop teasing him and hold on. I was aware that my breath was becoming ragged.

Juice grunted and for some reason that made it worse for me. I was hot and cold at the same time and the feeling of dizziness sent me over the edge. I tightened my arms and legs around him as I bit down on his shoulder. I felt the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. I hadn't meant to draw blood but it had happened. I couldn't help it because it felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out.

I wasn't the only one. Juice tensed up as well even as he intensified what I just felt. He tightened his hold on me and buried his face right above my breasts. His breath stuttered in rhythm with his hips. He was careful with his teeth. We waited a minute to catch our breath. Juice rose up on his knees and gently laid me back against the pillows. He waited a few more seconds before he pulled out and removed the soiled condom. For some reason he laughed.

"What?" I asked.

He shook his head as he sank down beside me. "I was just thinking of something Happy told us one day. He said he reuses old condoms."

"That's gross." I used my toe to pull the blankets up to us then I nestled under Juice's chin. His laughter rumbled in his chest. "What?"

"This makes it official. You're my old lady."

"Everyone at the club already knows that."

He pulled me closer, making sure there was no place our bodies didn't touch. "Why didn't you tell me you knew my dad was African-American?"

"Is this how you conduct pillow talk?"

"I'm serious, Silk. I want to know why you didn't tell me you knew."

"If I had told you, you would have wondered how I found out. You didn't need that, especially when we didn't know what this was. I had a friend when I lived in Chicago six years ago who could hack into any computer system. He works for the FBI now, but at the time he was able to look at files. I asked him for the access code to your sealed file. That's how I found out. Good job covering your ass by the way."

"How did you fly solo from the club for years?"

I dropped my shoulder and slid as close as I could. "I didn't cause any trouble. I played soccer at USC for the four years I was there. When I graduated, I went through the whole graduate crap we all go through. I got a job in a lawyer's office, but once they found out who my dad was, they let me go. So I went from state to state doing odd jobs. Every now and then I would check in with a charter so they'd know I was still alive. I called home a few times a year but I never came back. About two years ago I got my degree in engineering. After that I worked in a garage."

"What brought you back?"

"Dawn's death. I may not have been a blood sister like Fawn, but we were sisters. We didn't know each other well but she was Tig's daughter. I knew he was going to be even more insane than he was when I lived here. So I came back."

Juice was quiet a few seconds. His trailed his fingers absentmindedly through my hair. It had come out of its braid. "If your sister hadn't have died, would you be here now?"

"Probably not. I don't know honestly. I did get that job working on the Indian but after I finished it I had planned on leaving."

"And now? What are you planning now?"

I took a moment to think about it. I had missed the atmosphere of the club even though I hated being told what to do. But that's one of the things that went along with being an old lady. You did what you were told to do. Jax was right. Now that I was with Juice, I was clearly cemented into this club. There was no way I could back out. Not now, not with the way I was suddenly feeling.

I was someone who went off emotions. I made rash decisions based on friends and family, hence the reason I was back in Charming. But when it came to me and my personal feelings, I was a little more reserved. It was the reason that I as virgin until this night. I never put myself out there so I never found someone who respected me enough to be gentle.

Juice didn't press me. He let me think which made it even better. He wasn't like my dad. He didn't press for information. He was going to let me answer in my own time, even if it left him waiting all night. I didn't want to do that.

I shifted to where he was on his back and I was draped across his stomach. It was my turn to frame his face. He watched me with a curious look. I watched his eyes close as I leaned down to kiss him.

"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered.

"What about if you find out that John Teller was the one who was influence in your family's deaths?" he asked.

"It'll be hard, but I'm pretty sure I can get through it. If it was the Mayans that killed them, then I won't have to worry about it. Jax will have the boys kill the ones involved."

Juice kissed me once again then tucked me under has shoulder. It was quiet in the house and there was not going to be anyone walking in on us. No questions, no answers. I would be able to sleep without any worries.


	10. Chapter 10

We were supposed to be at the clubhouse at nine. We didn't roll into until 10:30. That technically wasn't my fault. I had gotten up like I normally did. I went to make coffee and while it was brewing, I went to get in the shower. Normally I shower alone. This time Juice joined me. I couldn't say no, and before long the hot water of the shower wasn't the only thing fogging up the mirror. It took longer than we had anticipated.

Dressing was even worse. Juice said he had to taste clean skin before he covered it up. I vetoed that, but he gave me a mischievous smirk and did what he wanted anyway. When he was done, I told him he was going to be the one explaining to Jax why we were late. That thought didn't bother him too much. It was the fact that my dad was going to be there. That's what scared him the most.

The ride back to the shop was very freeing. I had left my hair down because I hadn't had time to blow dry it. It was going to be wind whipped so I had stashed a brush in the bag strapped across my back. I could feel the smile spread across Juice's face when I pressed up against his back. This was going to be an interesting.

Roosevelt pulled up beside us at a red light. We were talking over the hum of the motor when we noticed him. He motioned for us to pull over when we got a chance. It was going to make us later in meeting the club but we couldn't deny the San Joaquin Sheriff. We agreed and the next parking lot we pulled over.

The lieutenant was very cautious as he came over to us. Juice was packing but I was sitting against it so Roosevelt wouldn't be able to get a clear view. I sat still as I watched the man. He had something he wanted to tell us but wasn't sure what it was. It might be about Malone but if it was, we could handle it. We hadn't roughed him up. Well, I hadn't.

"Malone said that you paid him a visit last night," he said.

I nodded. "Yeah, we did. I wanted to know what he knew."

"What did you find out?"

"Nothing that you hadn't already told me."

"He's been stalking her," Juice said. "He has pictures of her from every city she has ever been in. We don't think he took the earlier ones personally but the most recent ones were from a Nikon. He had that type of camera in his hotel room. We think he's been watching her since she got here."

I hadn't realized he had seen so much. We had only been there a few minutes at the most. I got my answers, the file, and a pretty good idea of what was going to be the most annoying time of my life.

Roosevelt looked at me. "And you didn't think to call me? When did you find out?"

"Last night. The club sent me home. We were heading back to see what they wanted to do," I replied. I hadn't necessarily lied, but I hadn't told all of the truth either. It was probably best he didn't know that we were getting ready to talk to the Mayans.

He seemed to think about it a minute. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Once you talk to your dad, call me. We'll see about getting a restraining order and pressing charges." I nodded as I took the card. "Head on out."

Juice swung his leg over the bike and started it. I waved at Roosevelt as we pulled out of the parking lot. Working with the sheriff's department was going to get someone killed, more than likely me. If the club couldn't handle a stalker, I was certain the cops couldn't. There was only a matter of time before someone found a loophole. I was only protected for a short amount of time.

Jax was out in the parking lot as we pulled in. Things were about to get worse. We sat on the bike for a few minutes as Jax looked on.

"We have to tell him," he muttered.

"I know," I replied. "It's just a matter of time before all this goes south."

"You should talk to Tara before we go talk to the Mayans."

I looked over at him. He was being serious. I hadn't said anything to Tara since I had come back. We had never been really close to begin with, so going to talk to her about something like this was a little out of the way for me.

He got off then waited for me to do the same. When I did, he pulled me close then started forward. Something about this was way off. It was like he knew something that I didn't, which wasn't too farfetched. He had been here a little longer than I had.

Jax stopped us before we could make it to the clubhouse. He looked between us. He knew in an instant what had happened before we were pulled over by Roosevelt. He couldn't say much. We all knew he did the same with Tara. That's what it meant to be with an old lady. They could do what they wanted, damn the consequences.

"We were stopped by Roosevelt on the way over," I said as I fished the brush out of my bag. "Malone reached out to him last night, said we paid him a visit. I don't know anything else he said, but I don't think he's here on business. Also Roosevelt was told about the pictures. He said he wants me to call him."

"I told her she should talk to Tara before we head out to Oakland to talk to the Mayans," Juice said.

I caught the look that went between them. My alarms went off immediately. I wasn't sure if Juice knew a lot about what had happened, but he understood enough to put me on the case. I wasn't sure Jax was going to agree by the look on his face, but he suddenly nodded and I didn't like that.

"We're going to church. Tig called it. He wants to continue the lockdown," he said.

"This about her?" Juice asked. The President nodded. "All right. Tara inside?"

"Yeah, she's got the boys. Mom's out shopping. Let's go."

I sighed as I followed the guys in. If I knew my dad, he was going to cause a shit storm. It had nothing to do with Juice as I thought it would. No, not that at all. He was going to make it mandatory for me to have a chaperone no matter where I went until Malone was gone. Finding out the truth was one thing. Dealing with a stalker was a completely different matter I didn't want to deal with.

Chibs called out to my dad as he walked over to me. He grabbed me in a tight hug then let go. It was normal, but something about it made it a little strange. He was going to vote with me dad about the detail.

Happy and Tig came around the corner. Juice skirted out of the way really quickly. He didn't want the backlash Tig was going to dish out once he realized what had happened last night and this morning. He was going to be really mad when he found out Juice was the first guy I had ever slept with. That was going to be fun to discuss.

Jax summoned everyone into church and the doors were shut. I ignored the other girls in the room and went to Tara. Thomas was fussy and nothing she did made him feel any better. Abel was busy coloring in a super hero coloring book. I sat down behind the boy and looked over his shoulder. He looked up at me and smiled.

"Do you need anything?" I asked.

Tara bounced Thomas as she looked me up and down. "Do you know a way to make a baby stop crying? He's been changed and fed."

"Do you mind?" I held my hands out.

She was suspicious at first but handed him over anyway. I wrapped my arms around Thomas and nestled him on my hip. He was trying to bite his knuckles but I wouldn't let him. He had to be teething. I started humming a song that ended in me singing the words. He wasn't sure who was singing so he stopped crying in favor to stare at me. To make things even better, I stepped away from his mother and began using an easy kata as a dance. He started laughing as we moved to the little idiotic song I was singing. It picked up tempo when I braced my hand on his head and dipped him low.

I looked back at Tara. She seemed shocked that I knew how to take care of a baby. I handed Thomas back to her and sat down. She set him in his car seat then leaned back in her seat. We stared at each other for a moment before she waved her hand.

"Jax told me what's going on. He said that you're having issues with an FBI agent," she said.

I nodded. "Yeah, I am. Technically he's my cousin but he kind of scares me. Did Jax tell you he has pictures?"

She frowned. "No, he didn't tell me that. Pictures how?"

"You know I'm from Charming, just like you. I grew up here in and around this club. I left to go to college on a soccer scholarship. After I graduated, I went wherever I wanted not knowing that my real parents had family that was possibly looking for me. So I did what I wanted. I checked in from time to time with a charter and I called my dad a few times a year. I went back to school six years ago for an engineering degree."

I took a deep breath. "When we went to his hotel room, we found a file that had photos dating back eight years ago. Malone had me followed or he found out where I was and took those photos."

"Are there any that have you naked or in various stages of undress?"

I shook my head. "No, thankfully. I'm pretty sure if there had been any, Jax would have killed him right there." I looked to the closed double doors. "I'm so used to being able to defend myself or have someone around to help me that I don't know what to do. He's family. Growing up with these guys taught me that. I don't want to hurt my family."

Tara leaned forward and placed a hand on my knee. "Family is important but if this guy scares you, you have to take precautionary measures. First thing would be to get a restraining order on him. Jax won't let Tig or Juice do anything stupid and I won't let him. He's already killed one agent who was stalking one of us. He'll do it again if he thinks he's protecting us."

"I take it he did it for you."

She nodded. "Yeah, he did. I was with this guy in Chicago when I was doing my residency. He got weird on me and I left him. Then he started stalking me so I took out a restraining order. He violated it by coming to Charming. He tried to get me back by attacking me in my house. I shot him because I didn't know what to do. So I called Jax. He showed up and took him out when he insulted me. Jax protected me and he will do it for you too."

"That's exactly my point. If an agent can come after you, there's no way I'm safe."

"How'd you sleep last night?"

"I was fine."

She smiled. "You look more than fine. Juice has never looked that happy before. I'm sure Tig will be super happy about all of this."

"Yeah, especially when he finds out my little secret."

She tried to figure out what I meant. It took a second for the good doctor to catch on but when she did, it was priceless. She looked back at the closed doors and pointed back and forth. I nodded then held my finger up to my lips. The only other person who knew was Juice, but that was fine with me considering it dealt with him.

Abel and I started playing cops and robbers. Abel was the cop, and I was the robber. I would hide under the pool table or behind a chair. He would find me then wrap his little hands around my wrists as if they were handcuffs. I was set on the couch for jail time. When Tara put Thomas down for a nap, I stretched out on the couch in front of the TV with the older boy on my chest. We watched cartoons until we both fell asleep.

A soft hand to the hair woke me up. I blinked to get the sleep from my eyes then I tilted my head up. Tig smiled down at me then ran his fingers through my hair again. He looked at the blond headed boy asleep on my chest. I wriggled but the kid didn't move. Tig laughed and lifted him so I could get up. I slid off the couch and watched my dad lay the boy on the couch. He placed a hand at the small of my back and guided me to the bar. Juice and Jax was sitting there. When I slid onto the stool beside him, Juice kissed the side of my head.

"We've come to a decision," Jax said as he stuck the butt of his cigarette into his mouth. "We'll deal with the Mayans. You are to stay here with the women. There is to be no arguments about it. We will let you know what Alvarez says. The only people who are not patch that are to come in that door are the girls that work here and Roosevelt. If it's anyone else, shoot first and ask questions later."

I looked at Juice. He pressed his forehead to my temple. "I had to agree with him. He's been your friend longer than I've known you. He also had the backing of your dad, Happy and Chibs. I couldn't argue with that, not if I wanted to keep this."

I closed my eyes and pressed my head into his then sighed. They weren't going to back off of this. Lockdown meant we women were all under their jurisdiction. There wasn't any way I was getting out of this. I had to agree or face hell.

"Can I work on the Passat?" I asked as I rubbed the rest of the sleep from my eyes.

There was a collective sigh. I figured every one of them had been holding their breaths because they thought I was going to argue. I had thought about it but the look on Jax's face had kept me from doing so. I didn't want to fight, not when we were so close to figure out what was going on.

With the knowledge that I would stay put, the guys, meaning my dad, Jax, Juice, and Happy, walked out to their bikes. Tara and I followed our guys, Tara holding Thomas and me with Abel. Juice squeezed my hand before he tugged me close. Right in front of my dad and all the guys he kissed me. It was sweet and innocent and let my family know what he expected.

I squeezed his hand one last time then stepped back as he started his bike. Tara and I looked at each other then watched the guys ride away.


	11. Chapter 11

It was late and I was working in the shop. The guys had been gone for hours, and the only ones left to watch the place were the prospect and Chibs. I had helped Tara put the boys down for bed before I had gone out to work on the Passat. I would clean but there were too many people in the kitchen for me to do so. The girls had steadily filtered in. They came in to work but weren't allowed to leave after that. No one went against Chibs because they didn't want to face Jax when he returned.

With the bay door closed, I couldn't hear much. The sounds of my working reverberated through the area. It was calming for me. It didn't mean I wasn't still wound up tight but it gave me an outlet to work.

I rolled under the car and started inspecting brake lines. Gemma had gone through all the books since this business had opened. She had been rummaging through some old stuff when she found them. She had pulled out the ledger from 1986 and read through all of it. She had brought it all to me and let me read through it. John Teller had worked on my parents' car before the crash. She had somehow pulled the invoice, and in yellow and black it said that he had worked on the car. He had changed the brakes and checked the lines. They had paid in cash and driven off.

It had told me nothing and everything. It meant that if John had made a mistake, it was a complete accident. If the Mayans had traded faulty brakes, they had done so with the knowledge that my dad was going to be driving the car. I had been in the car and not known any of this was going on.

I had to quit working as memories flooded back. We had been driving for a few hours when the brakes started making noises. We had taken the next exit to Charming and went in search for an automotive shop. My dad had found TM and had pulled in. We had to wait a day because they had had to order the parts so we went to a motel, the same motel Malone was staying in. Dinner had been at the diner as had breakfast. The car had been ready the next afternoon but we hadn't left right away. We had stayed around for a few more hours before leaving.

I started hyperventilating as I remembered the wreck. We had been half a mile outside of Charming when my dad lost control of the car. We had spun six times. My dad had tried to get the brakes to work but there was no traction. There was nothing he could have done. My mom had screamed and had held on as the car had slammed into a tree. I had smacked my head into the window, giving me a concussion. I had also broken a few bones. I hadn't found out about my parents until I had awoken up a couple of days later.

I wasn't in control of my emotions when I knocked over the box. The tools scattered all over the floor. I realized I was crying when I wiped at my nose. I hadn't thought about any of this in years. I actually hadn't wanted to. Too much pain was involved in all of this.

I wasn't paying attention so I didn't hear the door to the office open. I was attacked from behind. As I fell, my head caught the edge of the bay door. I was reeling from the sudden pain and seeing stars behind my eyes that I couldn't see who had attacked me. Whoever it was grabbed my foot and dragged me from the door. I kicked out, catching the person in the face. I knew I did because I heard the bone crack.

I tried to get up but my head protested. I had to sit back down but it was the wrong move. A weight much larger than mine landed on me and started grabbing for my clothes. I started fighting again. I wrapped my legs around whatever I could and flipped. My fist acted on its own accord and I socked the person across the jaw. When my vision cleared, I saw who it was.

"Malone?" I asked. "What the hell are you doing?"

Dylan rolled and tossed me off. Then he pounced again. He locked up my legs and hit me across the face. While I was spitting blood, he leaned forward.

"Do you think a restraining order can keep me away from you?" he asked.

"You're not here because of the car accident."

"Not at all, sweetheart. When my mom told me I had a cousin, I wanted to know what she looked like. But there was nothing. We had no photographic evidence that you existed other than the baby pictures we had. Your dad never even handed us anymore photos after that initial one."

"So you had me followed."

"You were a hard one to find. I was looking for an Annalissa Silk. It never occurred to me that you would change your last name. I had to do some digging. By the time I found you, you were gone from USC. Imagine my surprise when you showed up in Virginia. After that it was fairly easy."

"What do you want?"

"Oh, that's easy. I want to send a message to the people who kept you from us."

He reached for my clothes again and I had the right mind to fight harder. No one was getting anything, other than Juice. He was the only one. I caught Malone in the jaw with me knee. It knocked him off balance for a few seconds, but that was all I needed. I skirted the door to the office and was almost out the front door when I was slammed into the filing cabinet. Malone used his momentum to toss me on the desk. I grabbed the stapler and smashed it into his face. While he was cursing, I took off for the clubhouse.

I was halfway there when I heard Malone come out of the office. I stopped and spun around at the same time. My boot caught his face and sent him careening into the fence. It gave me enough time. Or so I thought. Malone launched himself at me, tangling my feet and bringing me to the asphalt.

"Chibs!" I screamed before his hand was clamped over my mouth.

"No one's going to hear you. The music is way too loud," he whispered in my ear as he rolled me over on to my back. Using one hand, he ripped my tank down the front. "Now it's you and me. Once your old man finds out, he's not going to want you. Then you'll have no choice but to come back to your family. Now hold still."

He pressed his hand over my mouth and I took the opportunity to bite his hand. He cursed and pulled it away. I kicked my feet to dislodge him but he wasn't going anywhere.

"Chibs!" He slugged me hard across the face.

I heard the roar of motorcycles and tried to get away again. If my dad rode up and saw this, there was no way Malone was getting out alive. He held me as tight as he could while he fumbled for my belt buckle. I tried my hardest as the roar became louder. All my training had never taught me to keep a man alive when an angry father showed up. It was going to be ten times worse because Happy and Jax were with him.

"You're going to like this. You'll like it so much that your old man won't have a choice but to hand you over," he rasped.

"If you don't get off me, you'll be dead," I warned. "I'm serious. My dad is about a block away and closing in fast. If he sees this you're dead."

He jerked me up then slammed my head back into the pavement. "He's not your dad! Your dad's dead."

I couldn't say anymore as headlights shined on the property. It was too late. There was nothing I could do, especially not when my vision was blurred by said headlights. I heard the motors die and feet pounding the pavement. Malone went flying as a boot caught him right under the jaw. Juice and Jax were pulling me up.

"Are you okay?" Juice asked. I knew it was bad when he tried to touch my face but didn't because he was afraid to hurt me. "Jesus Christ. Jax, look at her face."

My face was jerked violently around and I cried out. I could barely see my dad's face through the tears that cropped up. I could feel his anger though. He was humming with it. It was Happy that caught Malone first. He slammed him into the fence and used him as a punching bag. I was barely able to catch my dad pulling a gun on him.

"Stop him," I said. Juice looked at me. "Jax, stop him."

I heard Jax go over and talk to Tig. They started arguing right there but I was too focused on holding on that I didn't hear much of it. I couldn't press my face into Juice's shoulder because it would hurt too much but I wanted that comfort. He seemed to sense it because he wrapped his arms around me.

"Call Roosevelt," I muttered.

He nodded and pulled out his phone. He spoke quickly and quietly so the others would hear. I saw Jax haul Tig over to us and shove him down harshly. Juice hung up the phone then handed me over to my dad. As Jax shed his hoody, I watched Juice walk over to Malone and slug him hard across the face. He said something then spit in his face. He came back over and sat down on the concrete with us.

Sirens brought everyone in the clubhouse out into the parking lot. Jax stood and pulled Juice with him so they could block everyone. Tig held me as close as he could without hurting me. He was also whispering in my ear. I would have heard it clearly but it was all starting to blur. Tara had obviously skirted around the boys because she was kneeling in front of me.

"You're going to need stitches," she whispered. "I can do that in the clubhouse."

"I have a concussion as well," I answered. My voice sounded wrong so I shut up.

Chibs peeked around the two being guards and cursed. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I did, but you couldn't hear."

Roosevelt pulled up in his car and got out as fast as he could. I watched him warily, aware that I was going to have to talk about it as soon as I could. That might not be for a few more hours but he needed to know. He came up and took in the scene with one sweep.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We rode up and saw that asshole on top of her," Jax said as he pointed to Malone. The guy hadn't moved. Then again neither would I if I had Happy standing over me. He would shoot first. "I don't think he raped her but he came damn close. You better haul him in before we kill him."

"I'm surprised you haven't already."

"Silky stopped us. We would have but it took too much for her to speak so we listened," Juice said.

One of the officers took Malone away. They had to pry Happy off him. The big guy wanted to kill the bastard so badly but he listened to what he was told. For once. Tara convinced Tig to take me inside. Juice ran to his room. When he came back, he and Tara helped me out of my ripped clothes and into the fresh shirt. I had time to look in the mirror. I looked horrible.

Tara started cleaning me up. Tig didn't leave my side. He held my hand as Tara dabbed at my face with rag doused in alcohol. It hurt but it was dulled by the throbbing of my face. He was shaking his head as well so I knew he must have been feeling bad about it.

"The Mayans had nothing to do with your parents' deaths," Jax said. I glanced at him. "They wanted to kill him and tried, but when they saw a picture of you and your mom, they decided to let him go with a warning. I'm afraid the wreck was all on us."

"It's okay," I rasped out. I winced as Tara went over a particularly gnarly spot. "I'll live."

"Want to tell me what happened?" Roosevelt asked.

I did. It took me a little bit to spit it all out, but when I did, I had to close my eyes. Chibs looked like he was ready to die. It hadn't been his fault. They always keep the radio turned up too loud. The only one who ever checked the monitors was Juice and he had been out talking to the Mayans. I didn't blame him. Jax was angry. He would go after Malone again if he wasn't already in custody. Happy was cracking his knuckles. Tig let out a few choice words but nothing more. Juice and Tara were the only ones to keep their cool.

I sighed then winced as Tara started suturing me up. I was going to be in some serious pain for the next few days. I spit out a few more things for Roosevelt. When he felt he had enough information for the time being, he left us alone. When Tara was done, she handed me some pain meds and went to collect her boys to head home. I leaned against Tig for the longest.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "We should have never left you alone. Happy should have been your guard."

I shook my head though it was a bad idea. "No. If you had done that, he'd be dead."

"And you wouldn't have to suffer."

"You don't know that."

"He'll be free to come after you again once he's out," Jax said.

"I know, but by that time, everyone will be on guard." I sighed and tugged on my dad's hand. "I just want to sleep."

"All right," he said. "I want you to stay here tonight. You'll be safer here than at Gemma's."

I didn't argue as Juice helped me up then down the hall. After he closed the door to his dorm, he sat me down on the bed and pulled my boots off. I was a little panicky when he reached for my jeans, so he stepped back and let me do it myself. When I was laying against the pillow, he stripped as fast as he could and laid down beside me. I couldn't cuddle so he took my hand in his and held it under his chin.

"I'm so sorry this happened," he said.

"It's no one's fault. I shouldn't have been out in the garage but I was angry so I wanted to work. The rest is history," I replied.

He nodded and scooted closer. Resting his forehead against a patch of uninjured skin, he started rambling about things I had no idea. It lulled me into sleep. At that moment, I was thankful that I had a family and a guy who was very good to me. I'd hate to leave that again.

END


End file.
